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Bird of prey

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

              iBirds of prey
   Harris Hawk
   Harris Hawk
         Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves

                                   Orders

     * Accipitriformes

     *
          + Pandionidae
          + Accipitridae
          + Sagittariidae
     * Falconiformes
          + Falconidae

   A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts for food primarily using
   its talons. They display a characteristic curved tip to their beak and
   have superb vision.
   Diurnal birds of prey belong to the orders Accipitriformes and
   Falconiformes in several groups including:
     * Accipitriformes

     *
          + Pandionidae: Osprey
          + Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards, kites and Old World
            vultures
          + Sagittariidae: Secretary Bird
     * Falconiformes
          + Falconidae: falcons

   For an alternative taxonomy, see also Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.

   Nocturnal birds of prey—the owls—are separate from the diurnal
   families, and are in the order Strigiformes. The term "raptor" includes
   owls.

   Although other bird groups may fill similar ecological roles and
   sometimes appear closely related at first sight, this is largely
   because of convergent evolution.

Raptor names

     * Eagles are large birds with long, broad wings and massive legs.
       Booted eagles have feathered legs and build large stick nests.

     * Kites have long wings and weak legs. They spend much of their time
       soaring. They will take live prey but mostly feed on carrion.

   Bald Eagle at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, North Devon,
   England
   Enlarge
   Bald Eagle at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, North Devon,
   England
     * Falcons are small to medium sized birds of prey with long pointed
       wings. Unlike most other raptors, they belong to the Falconidae
       rather than the Accipitridae. Many are particularly swift flyers.
       Instead of building their own nests, falcons appropriate old nests
       of other birds but sometimes they lay their eggs on cliff ledges or
       in tree hollows.

     * Owls are variable-sized nocturnal hunting birds. They fly
       soundlessly and have very acute senses of hearing and sight.

     * Harriers are large, slender hawk-like birds with long tails and
       long thin legs. Most hunt by gliding and circling low over
       grasslands and marshes on their long broad wings.

     * Hawks are medium-sized birds of prey that belong to the genus
       Accipiter. They are mainly woodland birds that hunt by sudden
       dashes from a concealed perch. They usually have long tails.

     * Buzzards are raptors with a robust body and broad wings, or,
       alternatively, any bird of the genus Buteo (also commonly known as
       Hawks in North America).

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_of_prey"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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