BIRDS OF PREY (RAPTORS)
CLASS: AVES.
ORDER: FALCONIFORMS. THIS ORDER IS MADE UP OF APPROXIMATELY 298 SPECIES.
EAGLES. HAWKS. BUZZARDS. HARRIERS. KITES. OLD WORLD VULTURES.   APP: 226
SPECIES. NEW WORLD VULTURES.      (7 SPECIES.)
                 SECRETARY BIRD.                   (1 SPECIES.)
                 OSPREY.                                       (1 SPECIES.)
                    FALCONS.                                    (63 SPECIES.)
ORDER:  STRIGIFORMES. OWLS. APP: 144 SPECIES.
GENERAL COMMENTS.
BIRDS OF PREY ARE ALL EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALISED WEAPONRY NAMELY STRONG HOOKED BEAKS AND EXTREMELY POWERFUL TALONS. THEY ARE STRONG FLYERS AND MOST OF THEM CAN OVERCOME PREY LARGER AND HEAVIER THAN THEMSELVES. THE EXCEPTION BEING THE MAINLY THE VULTURES, WHICH HAVE SPECIALISED IN CARRION EATING AND THEREFORE THEIR TALONS ARE QUITE BLUNT BUT MAKE UP FOR THIS WITH THEIR EXTREMELY POWERFUL BEAK. HOWEVER ALL BIRDS OF PREY TO SAVE ENERGY WILL OPT FOR AN EASY MEAL INCLUDING CARRION. WITH THEIR ABILITY TO USE THERMALS AND WIND CURRENTS TO SOAR EFFORTLESSLY, AND TO PERCH ON A HIGH VANTAGE POINT GIVES THEM A GREAT ADVANTAGE TO WATCH AND WAIT FOR PREY TO COME CLOSE TO THEM.
EAGLES.
THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPRESIVE OF THE BIRDS OF PREY. CAPABLE OF SEIZING YOUNG DEER,
SHEEP, GOATS AND MONKEYS. SOME WILL EAT CARRION, OTHERS WILL CATCH SMALLER MAMMALS, LIZARDS, SNAKES AND BIRDS.
ALL EAGLES HAVE BROAD WINGS WITH THE 10 PRIMARY FEATHERS NARROWING AT THE TIPS,
THESE SLOTS SMOOTH OUT THE AIRFLOW AND ENABLE THEM TO SOAR WITH LITTLE EFFORT.
HAWKS.
GENERALLY A MUCH SMALLER BIRD THAN THE EAGLE BUT WITH THE SAME DESIGN AND USUALLY CATCH SMALL PREY. THIS SIZE BIRD IS CALLED HAWK IN NORTH AMERICA, AND BUZZARDS IN THE OLD WORLD, IN AMERICA SOME MEMBERS OF THE FALCON FAMILY HAVE BEEN CALLED HAWKS I.E.OSPREY FISH HAWK. PEREGRINE FALCON, DUCK HAWK. MERLIN, PIGEON  HAWK.
IN THE U.K. KESTREL WAS KNOWN AS THE STANDING HAWK. HAWKS GENERALLY HAVE BROAD WINGS AND CURVED HOOKED BEAKS.
FALCONS.
THEY ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THEIR LONG WINGS; THE NOTCH ON THEIR UPPER PART OF THE BEAK; THE METHOD OF HUNTING, IS TO RISE UP AND SWOOP DOWN AND THEIR SIZE RANGES FROM 15 TO 60CM (6 TO 24IN). THE FEMALE IS LARGER THAN THE MALE AS IN ALL DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. THESE BIRDS ARE USED MORE BY FALCONERS THAN ANY ORTHER KIND.
OWLS.
LARGE FORWARD FACING EYES WITH A GREAT NUMBER OF RECEPTORS IN THE RETINA FOR NIGHT VISION. FACIAL DISKS TO BEAM IN SOUNDS TO THEIR ASYMETRIC EAR SLOTS, ENABLING THEM TO LOCATE & CATCH PREY BY SOUND ALONE. LARGE WINGS WITH FRINGE EDGES TO THEIR PRIMARY FEATHERS GIVENING THEM SLOW SILENT FLIGHT. MOST OWLS ARE NOCTURNAL.