Introduction
Birds of prey are those birds, which look for food by flying from one place to another. While hunting for they make use of their sense organs - in particularly their vision. They are commonly termed as raptors. The birds of prey are carnivores and mainly look for vertebrates; this includes other birds as well. They generally use their feet instead of their beak, to catch their prey and eat them. These birds are blessed with remarkably good vision, a sharp and hooked beak, as well strong feet that have sharp and curved talons. Their talons and the beaks are very huge and modified in a way so that they can tear the flesh if their prey very easily. In majority of cases, the females are significantly larger than the male birds. The expression "raptor" is derived from the Latin word “rapere” that means to seize by power. Because of their predatory way of life, birds of prey are on the verge of getting endangered.
History
Birds of prey have been in existence since ancient times. The only difference was they were found in huge numbers in ancient times. Today the numbers of these birds have significantly reduced due to several reasons – poaching and hunting are some of the reasons.
Features
The speed as well as the quickness of these birds of prey is the thing that attracts attention. There are many beautiful birds of prey living on our planet earth. They are:
African Pygmy-falcon is the smallest of the lot, it is found in the African continent. They are very graceful creatures. Their bodies are covered with vibrant colored feathers. They are less than 20 inches in length.
The tiniest of birds found on earth is the Black-Thighed Falconet. These beautiful birds have black backs and wings, a golden-red belly and a white throat. They prefer to live in jungles. Their prey comprises of small birds and insects. They are maximum 5-6 inches in length.
Sea hawk or Osprey is found all over the world. These among the most attractive killer bird found on earth. They have colorful wings that are very beautiful to look at and they can grow up to 27 inches.
Another bird of prey is the Black Kites, they are found in parts of Eurasia and Australia. They are blessed with bigger wings but not so strong legs. These birds can fly very high in the sky in search for food. They are mainly found in the cities and their features just impress each and everyone.
Eastern Screech Owl with exceptional looks can draw the attention of many bird-lovers. They are nocturnal animals, so hunt their food only in the nights. They live in the cavities of the forests and they have beautiful designs on their plumage. They have tufted ear tuff as well as big round eyes.
Tips and comments
The birds of prey are an important part of the food chain and if they become extinct the balance in the ecosystem will be damaged. Measure must be taken to protect the birds.
