Hawks, eagles and kites | Accipitridae

Havikachtigen | Águilas, milanos y afines

All members share the same equipment: a hooked bill without the tooth falcons carry in the cutting edge, a powerful four-toed foot with sharp talons for holding prey or carrion, and broad wings with spread primary tips for gaining height on thermals, the tail serving as a rudder. They build a stick nest or take over someone else's, and lay small clutches of one to a few eggs, incubated mainly by the female while the male brings in the food. The eggs hatch one after another, so the young differ in size; they are fed on torn-off scraps and do not fledge for weeks. After that they wear a distinct juvenile plumage for one or more years, which makes putting a name to a bird harder in this family than in most other groups.