All species › Birds of prey
Birds of prey | Accipitriformes
Roofvogels | Rapaces diurnas
These day-hunting birds of prey kill with their powerful feet and sharp, curved talons; the strongly hooked bill only comes into play afterward, to tear the flesh apart. The eyes are large and exceptionally sharp, and in most species the female is noticeably larger than the male. The broad, long wings are built for hours of soaring on thermals or wind, and indigestible remains such as bones and fur are coughed up as pellets. The nest is usually a substantial structure of sticks, often reused and enlarged over many years, holding a small clutch and downy young that stay in the nest and depend on their parents for a long time. New World vultures, falcons and owls live in much the same way but are placed in other orders in this classification.
Families in this order
- Ospreys | Pandionidae1 speciesThe family holds a single species worldwide, living almost entirely on live fish. Over shallow water the bird hangs hovering in one spot and then drops feet first; at the impact it often goes right under and hauls itself clear again with heavy beats, shaking the water out of its plumage on the wing. The outer toe can be turned to the rear, so the fish is clamped with two toes in front and two behind; the soles are studded with spiny scales and the claws are rounded in cross-section and strongly curved, giving purchase on slippery prey. The catch is carried head-forward and aligned with the body, which cuts down drag. The plumage is dense and oily, and the nostrils can be closed during the dive. In gliding flight the wing is kinked at the wrist, with the outer feathers drooping. Over the nest site comes a persistent series of short, rising whistles; poles, channel markers and purpose-built platforms are used without hesitation, close to people.
- Kites, Old World vultures, eagles and hawks | Accipitridae27 speciesUnlike the broad, long soaring wings typical of the order, the forest-dwelling hawks within the family instead have short, rounded wings and a long tail, built for fast, agile pursuit through branches rather than hours of soaring. After a successful hunt, a bird may spread its wings wide over the kill to hide it from other birds of prey, a posture known as mantling. The crop can store a large amount of meat temporarily, letting the bird go for days without needing another kill after a successful hunt. During migration, hundreds of birds sometimes gather in the same rising thermal, forming a slowly circling "kettle" before gliding onward together.