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Avian
Taxonomy
What is a raptor?
 A
raptor is a bird of prey, that is, a bird that catches and kills animals
for food.
Raptors share
some special characteristics (adaptations)
that allow them to be expert hunters:
v
They
have excellent vision – It
has been estimated that vision in raptors is eight times better than
humans. This allows them to easily spot their prey
from great distances.
v
They
have strong feet with sharp talons – Raptors use their talons
to catch their prey and to carry them off, and they can also use them
to kill their prey.
v
They
have hooked beaks – They
use their beaks to tear the flesh of their prey into pieces.
 There
are many different species of raptors, and they are divided into two orders:
Falconiformes and Strigiformes.
Falconiformes are the diurnal
raptors, meaning raptors that are active during the day, and include hawks,
eagles, osprey, falcons, vultures, and the Secretary bird.
Strigiformes are nocturnal raptors,
meaning raptors that are active at night, and include the owls.
Below is a list of the major families of raptors and the number
of species in each family.
I.
Order Falconiformes (Diurnal Raptors)
-
Sagittariidae:
The Secretary Bird (1
species in Africa) 
Secretary bird
-
The
Secretary Bird is the only species in this family. It is found in Africa in grassland and savanna habitats and walks
long distances searching for prey such as lizards, snakes, frogs,
mice, and even birds. It
uses its long legs and stout toes to kick its prey to death.
- Accipitridae:
Hawks, Eagles, and Old-World Vultures (235 species)
 These
are medium to large hunting birds with powerful gripping
feet, strong claws, and curved and pointed beaks, which
are designed for tearing their prey. Members of this family are found in all regions
of the world except Antarctica.
This group includes a wide diversity of birds that
vary greatly in size and shape, from the tiny Pearl Kite,
whose wingspan is 54cm, to the massive and powerful Harpy
Eagle, with a wingspan of 200cm. Females are usually larger than males, and they have broad wings
that allow them to soar and take advantage of thermals. The birds spend much of their time resting
and preening (cleaning themselves), and they usually defend
large hunting areas.
Click Here
for Species Description of Swainson's
Hawks or Goshawks
- Pandionidae: The Osprey (1 species)
The Osprey is the only species in this
family and it is found all over the world.
They are found along coastal areas, lakes, marshes
and rivers: anywhere where there is shallow water with lots
of fish. These birds
are experts at fishing, and they dive feet-first in the
water and extend their long legs to grab their prey with
their talons. They
have long, narrow wings that allow them to hover easily
over the water as they scan for fish.
They build huge twig nests on the tops of trees or
cliffs, which they defend strongly from other pairs that
try to steal them. One
way humans have tried to help this species is by building
artificial nesting platforms, which the birds use to build
their nests.
- Falconidae:
Falcons (63
species)
 These are small to medium-sized predators
with long, pointed wings, strong hooked bills, sharp curved
talons, and great powers of flight and sight.
Members of this family are found everywhere except Antarctica
in a wide variety of habitats. They often hunt by perching on a high tree
or electricity wire and use their excellent vision to scan for
prey. They often bob their heads up and down, which
helps them tell how far away their prey is. When they go in for the kill, their long, narrow wings allow them
to fly at incredible speeds, especially in a downward direction,
or stoop
Click
Here For Species Description of Peregrine Falcon
-
Cathartidae:
New-World Vultures
(7 species)
These are medium
to very large birds of prey with featherless heads, powerful
hooked bills and large, wide wings that are efficient for soaring. They mostly feed on dead animals, called carrion. They are found only in the New World: North,
Central, and South America.
Although they look very much like Old-World Vultures,
they are more closely related to Storks than to any bird of
prey. This is an example
of convergent evolution: the
two groups of birds look alike not because they are genetically
related, but because they have similar adaptations for similar
ways of life. The bare skin on their heads keeps them from
getting their feathers dirty when they stick their heads into
carcasses.
Unlike most other
birds, several species in this group have a highly developed
sense of smell, which helps them locate rotting carcasses.
They use their large wings to take advantage of thermals,
allowing them to soar over large areas as they search for prey.
Since food is always scarce, they are experts at conserving
energy. Included in this group are the condors. The California Condor is
one of the most endangered of all bird species. In the late 1980s all known wild California Condors were removed
from the wild to use in a captive breeding program. At that
time there were fewer than 30 Califonia Condors in the world
(compare that to the number of students in your class). Vultures
play a key role in the cycle of life by breaking apart and consuming
parts of dead and decaying carcasses.
II. Order
Strigiformes (Nocturnal Raptors): For more information on this
order, see the comparison between Diurnal and Nocturnal Raptors
below.
Strigidae: Typical
Owls (178 species) 
Most owls are members
of this family. They have round heads, often with ear tufts,
and large, powerful wings.
Tytonidae:
Barn and Grass Owls
(16 species)
 All
owls in this family have a heart-shaped face disk, which probably
helps them pick up sounds extremely
well.
For this reason, they are very efficient hunters in the
dark of night. The best-known
member of this family is the Common Barn Owl, which is found almost
world-wide.
Common Barn Owl
more
on bird taxonomy!
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