21. Birds Of Prey . . . Some Of The Animals We Treat At The FFAWRC A soaring kettle of Turkey vultures is a sight to behold. Related Links.Turkey Vulture Society. return to birds of prey http://www.fundwildlife.org/preybirds_vulture.html

Golden Eagle Kestrel Barn Owl Great Horned Owl ... Vulture Hawks: Red-tailed Red-shouldered Cooper's and Sharp-shinned The Turkey vulture is one of the more commonly viewed yet least studied of the birds of prey. Southern California provides a year-round home for these beneficial birds, yet those vultures who live in northernmost areas of the country fly south in the fall. This accounts for larger numbers of Turkey Vultures seen in our area in the fall and winter. An amazing instinct in the Turkey Vultures is their return to their summer feeding grounds on the Vernal Equinox- the same day that the swallows return to Capistrano each year. It is however, unlikely that a famous song will be written about the vultures' return to their home base since the swallows returning to Capistrano has a much nicer ring to it. Many people view vultures with disdain, yet their benefits to our environment are enormous. The Turkey Vulture feeds solely on carrion (dead animals). His feet are not strong enough, nor is his beak tough enough to attack and eat a live animal. The vulture must rely on road kills and leftovers from predators in order to survive. In short, they are our natural "sanitation engineers". Of all the New World vultures, only the Turkey Vulture has a sense of smell. In fact, it is speculated that the Turkey vulture has the keenest sense of smell of all animals. Because of this, the Turkey Vulture is often first on the scene at a road kill. His presence then attracts other carrion eaters, such as the Golden Eagle. Both the vulture and the eagle, because of their size, are slow to take flight from the ground. Unfortunately, this accounts for many "hit by car" injuries to these birds.

22. Birds Of Prey . . . Some Of The Animals We Treat At The FFAWRC vultures, eagles, hawks, falcons and owls are all birds of prey and are a The Turkey Vulture, although considered a bird of prey, feeds solely on http://www.fundwildlife.org/preybirds.html

Golden Eagle Kestrel Barn Owl Great Horned Owl ... Vulture Hawks: Red-tailed Red-shouldered Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Golden eagle with Red-tailed hawks in flight cage. Birds of prey is the term applied to those birds whose diet consists of meat. There are many different species common to San Diego County, ranging from the massive Golden Eagle to the scrappy little American Kestrel. Vultures, eagles, hawks, falcons and owls are all birds of prey and are a tremendous asset to our area by their consumption of rodents, other crop destroying animals, insects, snakes, and in some cases, carrion. Some species often to our dismay, include songbirds, doves and pigeons in their diet. This is simply nature's way of keeping balance. We should neither want to nor attempt to interfere. All birds of prey are federally protected. It is a violation of federal law to harm a bird of prey, disturb a nest, take eggs, or even have a feather in your possession without express permission from the federal government. The near demise of several species, due to indiscriminate use of pesticides and loss of habitat, along with other reasons, has led to this "blanket" protected status for our native birds of prey. The most commonly seen birds of prey in San Diego County are the following: Owls: Barn Owl, Great Horned Owl

23. WWF-UK: Birds Of Prey Raptors feed on mammals, other birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians and insects.Most kill live prey while others vultures, for example - may eat carrion. http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/wildlife/fs_0000000008.asp

Areas of interest WWF-UK home Just for kids - go wild! Just for teachers Just for researchers Just for shoppers Just for business Just for local authorities Who cares? campaign Chemicals and Health Campaign One million sustainable homes Stop Climate Chaos Marine Act Campaign About WWF What can I do? Wildlife News Search WWF-UK WWF-UK Wildlife Endangered species > Birds of prey Tuesday 27 September 2005 Endangered species Endangered spaces Environmental threats Birds of prey Background Current threats What WWF is doing Background Raptors have existed for 75 million years and today there are over 450 species including eagles, hawks, falcons, vultures, buzzards, ospreys, harriers, kites and owls. They live in most habitats in virtually all areas of the world. There are two main types of raptor - those that hunt in daylight and those that hunt by night. They range from huge vultures and condors to tiny falconets not much larger than a sparrow. They are famous for their powerful hooked beaks and claws, as well as the dramatic way in which they catch their food. Raptors feed on mammals, other birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians and insects. Most kill live prey while others - vultures, for example - may eat carrion. The palm vulture is a partial vegetarian that eats palm nut husks. Over much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, birds of prey around the world have been regarded as a threat to game and livestock and large numbers have been killed and their eggs collected. Between 1950 and 1975 many countries passed laws to protect them. In the United Kingdom, numerous birds of prey including the red kite, merlin and osprey are protected by law and some species, such as the golden eagle and osprey, are also protected by EU legislation. Even so, they still suffer from persecution, poisoning and nest robbing.

24. Southwest Florida Wildlife - Birds Of Prey birds of prey Black vultures locate carrion by sight not smell. It rarelyutters a sound of any kind. They lay two eggs deposited on the ground, http://www.captiva.com/Wildlife/birdsofprey.htm

Click Below for Pictures and Information Marsh and Shore Birds Gulls and Terns Land ... Perching Birds Birds of Prey BLACK VULTURE (Coragypas atratus) 24 in. A large black scavenger with short broad wings, a stubby square tail and a light patch near the wingtips. It requires rapid flapping and short glides to maintain flight while holding the wings horizontally. Gregarious, but less efficient in locating carrion than the larger Turkey Vulture. Black vultures locate carrion by sight not smell. It rarely utters a sound of any kind. They lay two eggs deposited on the ground, in hollow logs or in tree cavities. Click Below for Southwest Florida Wildlife Pictures and Information Fish Mammals Reptiles Browse Other Southwest Florida Attractions Shelling Air Boat Rides/ Boat Tours ... Events TURKEY VULTURE (Cathartes aura) 26-32 in. A common red headed soaring scavenger with a six-foot wing spread and long tail. Seen from below the wings appear two-toned and are held upward in a shallow V formation (dihedral) allowing for quick tilting from side to side. Commonly eats carrion and refuse scavenging in fields, roadsides and woodlands. They detect carrion by sight and smell. It ranges widely from Southern Canada to South America and the Straits of Magellan.

25. Birds Of Prey Most diurnal birds of prey are monogamous. Some birds keep the same mate for In a few species, such as Old and New World vultures and secretary birds, http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/raptors/reproduction.htm

Reproduction A. Sexual maturity. 1. In general, smaller species begin breeding at an earlier age than larger species. a. Small Accipiter hawks, falcons, and harriers usually start to breed at one to two years. b. Buteo hawks, kites, and large falcons breed at two or three years. Ospreys begin breeding at three or more years. c. Large eagles usually start to breed at four to nine years, and vultures up to 12 years. 2. First-time breeding may be delayed if competition for food is high or territories are unavailable. B. Reproductive behavior. 1. Most diurnal birds of prey are monogamous. Some birds keep the same mate for several years, such as ospreys, while others have different mates each year, such as snail kites. In some groups of Harris' hawks, monogamous breeding pairs are assisted by a number of nonbreeding helpers, mostly previous offspring. 2. A few species are polygynous or polyandrous. a. Polygyny is when a male mates with more than one female at a time. Many harriers are polygynous. b. Polyandry is when a female mates with more than one male at a time. Polyandry has been observed in populations of Harris' hawks and Galapagos hawks

26. Birds Of Prey Owls (Order Strigiformes) are also birds of prey, but they are nocturnal (hunt Accipitridae is a large family which includes kites, Old World vultures, http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Raptors/birdclass.html

Scientific Classification A. Class-Aves. 1. The scientific class Aves includes all birds. 2. Birds have feathers, wings, beaks, and scales on their legs and feet. They're also warm-blooded, breathe air, and lay eggs. B. Subclass-Neornithes. This subclass includes all species of modern birds dating back to the late Cretaceous period. C. Order-Falconiformes. 1. Birds in the order Falconiformes have strong bills which are hooked at the tip and sharp on the edges; fleshy ceres (soft skin) at the base of the bills; feet with sharp, curved talons; an opposable hind toe; and keen vision. They are generally strong flyers and carnivores (animal-eaters). 2. Because they eat other animals, Falconiformes are commonly called birds of prey or raptors. More specifically, they hunt during the day and thus are called diurnal birds of prey. Owls (Order Strigiformes) are also birds of prey, but they are nocturnal (hunt at night). D. Family. There are five families in the Order Falconiformes. 1. The secretary bird belongs to its own family, Sagittariidae. Though classified in Falconiformes, it has many cranelike physical qualities, such as long legs and short, blunt toes. 2. Ospreys belong to the family Pandionidae. This fish-eating species has a unique foot structure within the Order Falconiformes. The outer front toe can swing to face backward with the hind toe, an adaptation for grasping their prey.

27. Raptors vultures are highly specialised raptors with weak feet and talons, In fact,very few birds of prey are large enough to injure an animal as large as a http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/facts/raptors.htm

Eagles, hawks, buzzards, harriers, kites, falcons, and owls are all raptors, adapted to hunting medium to large prey animals. Their feet are powerful and heavily taloned for capturing live prey, and their beaks are hooked to tear off pieces of prey. Superb eyesight allows them to spot prey from many kilometres away. Vultures are highly specialised raptors with weak feet and talons, and very strong beaks for tearing meat off the dead animals on which they feed. Adult raptors have few predators and may live for 20 to 30 years. In common with other long-lived species, raptors have a slow breeding rate and a high mortality among young birds. Approximately one-quarter of raptors survive their first year, and only half of these will reach maturity and raise their own young. When adult survival drops as a result of poisoning and hunting, the population of the affected species will be drastically reduced. THREATS TO RAPTORS Poisoning The use of poisons by stock farmers to kill `problem animals' such as black-backed jackals, caracals, cheetahs or leopards is causing serious declines in scavenging animals (see Enviro Facts "Farmers, poisons and wildlife"). Scavenging raptors that have been affected by this practice include whiteheaded, lappetfaced and Egyptian vultures, and the bateleur.

28. NATURE. Shadow Over The Sun: A Story Of Eagles. Birds Of Prey | PBS Although there is one exception to this last point vultures do not have strongtalons birds of prey may be found on every continent except Antarctica. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/shadow/birdsofprey.html

Birds of Prey There are more than 40 species of eagles, each of which can be catagorized into one of several distinct groups. Yet these eagles make up just one member of a family of birds called raptors or birds of prey that survive by means of their fierce and deadly talons. Together, these skillful hunters rule the skies. Golden eagles are birds of prey or raptors. What makes a bird a "bird of prey"? Birds of prey, also known as raptors from the Latin word "rapture," to seize or grasp may be as large as the Andean condor, which has a ten-foot wingspan, or as small as the tiny black-thighed falconet, which is less than seven inches tall. In general, raptors are characterized by several distinct features: They hunt for their food and eat meat, they have sharp, hooked beaks, they have keen eyesight, and in particular they have strong talons for gripping and killing their prey. Although there is one exception to this last point: vultures do not have strong talons for killing prey because they are scavengers that do not hunt down live prey. Raptors are set apart from other birds such as ravens and magpies that hunt, eat meat, and have strong, sharp beaks but aren't considered birds of prey because they don't kill with their feet. What are the members of the raptor family?

29. NATURE. Shadow Over The Sun: A Story Of Eagles. Birds Of Prey | PBS vultures are scavengers that feast on carcasses, or carrion. birds of preyuse their wings both to propel their flight and to generate the lift needed http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/shadow/birdsofprey2.html

Birds of Prey What do they eat? Raptor diets vary from bird to bird, but in general almost anything is game: from insects, snails, and snakes to birds, bats, rodents, lizards, and rabbits. Harpy eagles live in the rainforests of South America, where they hunt sloths and monkeys. Vultures are scavengers that feast on carcasses, or carrion. Egyptian vultures eat the enormous eggs of an ostrich by throwing small rocks against an egg until it breaks open. Bearded vultures and golden eagles have been known to drop tortoises from great heights to crack open their shells. The osprey lives along lakes, rivers, and coastal areas, surviving almost exclusively on fish. They have long legs for catching their prey underwater; sometimes when diving for a meal, the osprey will plunge deep enough so that only the tips of its wings remain above the surface. Every once in a while, an osprey will drown when it latches onto a fish that is too heavy to carry. A white-tailed sea eagle. How do they fly? Birds of prey use their wings both to propel their flight and to generate the lift needed to keep them above the ground. Most of the lift is generated by the inner part of their wings, while the power comes from wings' outer edge. A raptor's primary feathers are specially shaped to improve airflow over its wings. Nevertheless, staying aloft is no easy task for what are often relatively large birds. To ease their burden, raptors rely on columns of warm, rising air called thermals, which provide them an additional lift. Thermals are created over land as the ground heats up during the course of the day. Often raptors float from thermal to thermal, saving energy along the way.

30. Birds Of Prey vultures (Aegypiidae). Large birds with bare heads, well adapted to feed on carrion.Some vultures also kill their prey themselves. http://www.dc-adnet.com/Photo-Info/prey.htm

Vultures, Eagles, Hawks and Allies (Accipitridae) Strong-flying birds of prey with broad, rounded wings.. Hunting from the air small to medium sized mammals, birds, reptiles, sometimes they feed on carrion, especially vultures. Males are smaller than females. Vultures (Aegypiidae) Large birds with bare heads, well adapted to feed on carrion. Some vultures also kill their prey themselves. They glide at great height, searching for carrion by watching behaviour of other vultures. Assemble rapidly at found carrion, the order in which different species feed depends on billsize. Nist singly or in groups in cliffs or big trees. Hooded Vulture Lappet-Faced Vulture Palm-Nut Vulture Ruppel's Griffon Vulture ... Whitebacked Vulture Eagles (Aquila) Large brown or blackish birds with long, broad wings and short tails. Their legs are feathered to the toes and they have strong bills. Build huge nests in trees or cliffs. Tawny Eagle African Fish Eagle Snake Eagles (Circaetus) Broad wings, tail of medium length, thicknecked. Long, bare legs, feed mainly on snakes which are caught by soaring or by swooping from a perch. Brown Snake Eagle Black-Chested Snake Eagle Bateleur Hawk Eagles and Allies Powerful raptors of woodland, tarsi feathered. Prey on mammals and birds, caught by swooping from a perch or by soaring or hovering. Bulky stick nests are build in high trees.

31. Bird Of Prey -- Facts, Info, And Encyclopedia Article Diurnal birds of prey belong to the orders (In some classifications an Old World vultures; kites; harriers; eagles) Accipitridae (Diurnal bird of prey http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/b/bi/bird_of_prey.htm

Bird of prey [Categories: Birds of prey] A bird of prey or raptor is a (Warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings) bird that hunts its food using its (Horny projecting mouth of a bird) beak and (A sharp hooked claw especially on a bird of prey) talon s. Diurnal birds of prey belong to the orders (In some classifications an alternative name for the Falconiformes) Accipitriformes and (Chiefly diurnal carnivorous birds having hooked beaks and long talons with opposable hind toe: falcons; hawks; eagles; ospreys; caracaras; vultures) Falconiformes in several groups including: (In some classifications an alternative name for the Falconiformes) Accipitriformes (Condors; turkey buzzards; king vultures) Cathartidae : New World vultures (Ospreys) Pandionidae : Osprey (Hawks; Old World vultures; kites; harriers; eagles) Accipitridae (Diurnal bird of prey typically having short rounded wings and a long tail) hawk s, (Any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight) eagle s

32. Birds Of Prey Quiz What is the twosyllable name for the claw of a bird of prey? 3. A. Ornithological Odes These birds are A. albatrosses B. turkey vultures http://www.greatauk.com/wqbirdsofprey.html

Knowledge Master Home 100,000 Questions Academic Competition Free Questions ... How to Order Try more weekly quizzes on other topics Weekly Quiz Demonstrate a fearless pursuit of auk ademic auk cellence by plunging, head-first of course, into these questions. Return every week for another quiz on one of the 14,000 topics in the Knowledge Master Library Birds of Prey (Click on the question number for the answer.) B Bird Classification When applied to birds, what is a synonym for "predatory"? A. oviparous B. raptorial C. three-toed D. hook-beaked E. high-soaring talon Bird Parts What is the two-syllable name for the claw of a bird of prey? A Ornithological Odes This first line from a poem by Tennyson is about which bird? He clasps the crag with crooked hands, close to the sun in lonely lands. A. eagle B. turkey C. parrot D. penguin E. flamingo falcon Birds These are fierce birds with hooked bills and large feet with long curved talons. They nest in depressions in cliffs. Unlike hawks, their wings are long and pointed. Name this bird of prey. B Burly Birdies Name the heaviest flying bird of prey.

33. Field Identification Guide Directory Birds Of Prey The turkey vulture really isn t a bird of prey, but people often believe it isa hawk or an eagle when they see it soaring high above. vultures http://www.illinoisraptorcenter.org/Field Guide/guidecover.html

Birds of Prey Hawks: red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk northern harrier rough-legged hawk ... red-shouldered hawk Owls: barn owl barred owl eastern screech owl great horned owl ... snowy owl Eagles: bald eagle golden eagle Falcons: peregrine falcon American kestrel The turkey vulture really isn't a bird of prey, but people often believe it is a hawk or an eagle when they see it soaring high above. Vultures: turkey vulture Other Birds of Prey: Osprey Look! Up In The Sky! It's A Bird...It's..... Even at a distance or in poor light, there are clues available to help you identify the eagles, hawks, owls, vultures and falcons you might see in Illinois. Try to identify the owl silhouetted in the picture at left. Click here for the answer. P Chris Young and Jane Seitz, The Illinois Raptor Center. Others pictures are used courtesy of Dennis Oehmke, Kanae Hirabayashi or The State Journal-Register in Springfield. The primary reference for this guide is: The Birds of Illinois by H. David Bohlen, asst. curator zoology, the Illinois State Museum . It is used with the author's permission. Other sources will be noted in the text. If your question wasn't answered here, email us:

34. Birds Of Prey A bunch of vultures, with Rüppell s vultures standing by for their turn. 2001 Secretary Bird. They are looking for prey to kill with their powerful feet http://www.sagarmatha.com/galleries/themes/nr.html

Raptor Images All these pictures were taken by me over the course of the last 10 years. Some are of dubious quality, but may be included for completeness. You may click on any image to see a full-sized image of the same bird. Images are sorted in taxonomical order as presented in Raptors of the World . Names used therein are accepted as correct, and differences between those names and the commonly used names in the United States are noted. Order CICONIIFORMES Family CATHARTIDAE Black Vulture ( Coragyps atratus Black Vulture Soaring near Cape May, New Jersey. Black Vulture Soaring over Patagonia, Arizona. Turkey Vulture ( Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture Soaring near Hawk Hill. Turkey Vulture A Turkey Vulture feeding. The Top View From Hawk Hill you can sometimes see the tops of the birds. Sunning Himself The turkey vulture warms his wings before flying. Another Vulture Another vulture in the roost at the entrance to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. California Condor ( Gymnogyps californianus California Condor Three condors in an enclosure prior to release.

35. Encyclopedia: Bird Of Prey Accipitriformes includes most of the diurnal birds of prey hawks, eagles,vultures, Diurnal birds of prey belong to the orders Accipitriformes and http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Bird-of-prey

Supporter Benefits Signup Login Sources ... Pies Related Articles People who viewed "Bird of prey" also viewed: Klingon starships Balance of Terror Romulan Star Empire Klingon ... Besra What's new? Our next offering Latest newsletter Student area Lesson plans Recent Updates Zimmermann Telegram Zerg Zak Tales Zachary Levi ... More Recent Articles Top Graphs Richest Most Murderous Most Taxed Most Populous ... More Stats Encyclopedia: Bird of prey Updated 96 days 35 minutes ago. Other descriptions of Bird of prey Birds of prey Harris Hawk Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Orders Accipitriformes Cathartidae Pandionidae Accipitridae ... Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food using its beak and talons Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Bilateria Acoelomorpha Orthonectida Rhombozoa Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with...

36. Encyclopedia: Vulture vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals . The term hawk refers to birds of prey in any of three senses Strictly, http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Vulture

Supporter Benefits Signup Login Sources ... Pies Related Articles People who viewed "Vulture" also viewed: New World vulture Old World vulture Long_billed Vulture Eurasian Black Vulture ... Harrier (bird) What's new? Our next offering Latest newsletter Student area Lesson plans Recent Updates Zimmermann Telegram Zerg Zak Tales Zachary Levi ... More Recent Articles Top Graphs Richest Most Murderous Most Taxed Most Populous ... More Stats Encyclopedia: Vulture Updated 27 days 16 hours 45 minutes ago. Other descriptions of Vulture A Nubian Vulture Vultures are scavenging birds , feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals . Vultures are found in almost every continent. Download high resolution version (768x652, 66 KB)A Nubian Vulture. ... Download high resolution version (768x652, 66 KB)A Nubian Vulture. ... Binomial name Torgos tracheliotus (Forster, 1791) The Lappet-faced Vulture, Torgos tracheliotus, is an African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. ... Harvestman eating the tail of a five-lined skink The word scavenger, in zoology, refers to animals that consume already dead organic life-forms. ...

37. Birds Of Prey New World vultures. 7 Species. SecretaryBird. 12 Species Strong flyers,birds of prey generally pursue and often capture prey on the wing. http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/type-Prey.html

Birds of Prey Order: Birds of Prey Families 4: Falcons 60 Species Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Ospreys 218 Species New World Vultures 7 Species Secretary-Bird 12 Species Hawks, eagles, and falcons of the order Falconiformes are widespread and diverse. All birds are characterized by strongly hooked, sharp beaks, and most have sharp, curved talons. Within bird-of-prey species, the sexes frequently differ noticeably differ in size, and it is generally the female that is larger and heavier. Different groups within this order show a variety of hunting techniques. Some such as vultures, and some caracaras and kites are primarily scavengers. Strong flyers, birds of prey generally pursue and often capture prey on the wing. Many species cover great distances while soaring in search of prey. Some species are adapted for capturing fish at or near the surface of the water. Other species specialize in capturing rodents, birds, reptiles, and insects. Unusual among birds of prey is the long-legged secretary-bird of the African plains, which feeds largely on reptiles. The two major groups of carrion feeders, the Old World vultures and the New World vultures and condors, are superficially similar. They are large to massive birds with unfeathered heads and excellent powers of soaring flight. Old World vultures are in the same family as hawks and eagles, but New World vultures may actually be more closely related to storks than to birds of prey. Similarly, many ornithologists believe that the relationship between the family Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, harriers, Old World vultures, and kites) and the family Falconidae (falcons and caracaras) is rather distant.

38. Majestic Flyers BIRDS OF PREY IN SOUTHERN ARABIA birds OF prey IN SOUTHERN ARABIA Text and pictures by Hanne and Jens Eriksen.The Oman Bird List* boasts no less than 36 species of birds of prey (vultures, http://www.arabianwildlife.com/archive/vol2.3/majfly.htm

Majestic Flyers BIRDS OF PREY IN SOUTHERN ARABIA Text and pictures by Hanne and Jens Eriksen The Oman Bird List* boasts no less than 36 species of birds of prey (vultures, hawks, eagles and falcons). The great majority of these are passage migrants and/or winter visitors: from November through April the sky over the Sultanate is filled with these birds, many of which are rare elsewhere. At least three species - Imperial Eagle, Spotted Eagle and Lesser Kestrel - are classified by BirdLife International as globally threatened, yet all three are regular visitors to Oman and easy to find. It is not uncommon to see a couple of species of vultures, perhaps five different species of eagles, a couple of harriers and a falcon or two on a single outing here. Vultures The most common species of this group is the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus). A few pairs breed in the high mountains of Oman, but the numbers dramatically increase during the winter months when gatherings of up to 200 may be encountered. Its much bigger cousin, the Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus) is a much sought after bird by resident and visiting birdwatchers. With a wing span of over three metres, it is the biggest bird in the sky and impressive by anyone's standard. When birds gather around a dead animal even the biggest eagles look like dwarfs again a Lappet-faced and will easily be driven away. In one instance, 35 Lappet-faced vultures were seen around a dead donkey. The Big Eagles Three big Aquila eagles are regular if not common winter visitors: Steppe Eagle (A. nipalensis), Spotted Eagle (A. clanga) and Imperial Eagle (A. heliaca). All three seem to prefer the same habitat so one often encounters all three together. Steppe Eagles are the most common with flocks of 100 or more sometimes seen. Most of the birds are immatures from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is well known that immature birds of these species are far more migratory than adults which presumably only turn up here if the winter in their breeding range is particularly severe or food is in short supply. Rubbish dumps, sewage works and large farmlands are the best places to see these eagles and from November to March there will always be some present.

39. Oregon Zoo Animals: Barn Owl Turkey vultures travel in unorganized flocks of several hundred birds. Other vultures must rely on their eyesight to spot prey while Turkey vultures http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/turkey_vulture.htm

Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR - www.oregonzoo.org Visit Us About Our Zoo Conservation ... our exhibits Turkey Vulture SCIENTIFIC NAME Cathartes Aura CLASSIFICATION Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Catharitidae Genus: Cathartes Species: Aura SIZE Length: Male: 29-32 inches Female: slightly smaller Weight: Male: 2-3 pounds Female: slightly smaller Wingspan: Male: 68-72 inches Female: sightly smaller APPEARANCE: Mature Turkey Vultures normally have dark brown plumage with a blue, purple, or greed irridescence. Outer feathers are fringed with medium-olive grey coloring, while a Turkey Vulture’s underparts are generally a brown-olive shade. It’s head and neck are bristled sparsely, and bright red. The relatively large beak is white and it’s sharp eyes are a dull yellow. Juvenile Turkey Vultures closely resemble their elders, but the young are hooded with soft grey feathers. Their plumage, eyes and beak are blackish and their legs are yellow-white. Although generally Turkey Vultures are identical, there are subtle regional variations. In the Amazon rainforests, plumage is somewhat darker and in the Falkland Islands, green and bronze plumage is dominant. RANGE/DISTRIBUTION: Being very versatile, the Turkey Vulture’s range includes most of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Throughout this area they inhabit grasslands, swamps, mountains, and rainforests. They are the most widely distributed vulture.

40. All About Birds Pg 2 birds of prey or raptors are meat eating birds that use their strong feet, Some catch and kill their food and others (like vultures) feast on the http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/birds2.htm

SEARCH Crafts for Kids Coloring Pages DLTK Teach ... Sites for Teachers The Raptors Birds of prey or "raptors" are meat eating birds that use their strong feet, talons and hooked beaks to catch and kill their prey. This group includes eagles, osprey, hawks, owls ( Great Horned Owl ), kites, harriers, buzzards, merlins , vultures, goshawks and condors. They eat small mammals such as mice and rabbits, fish, snakes, and even other birds. Some catch and kill their food and others (like vultures) feast on the leftovers other hunters leave behind. bald eagle Look at the photo of the bald eagle to the left. Can you see how strong it's beak looks? See how it has a hooked end? This beak is used to tear into flesh. Birds don't have teeth... can you guess why? Teeth are heavy and would make it very difficult for birds to fly. This is especially important for birds of prey who must fly swiftly to catch their food. Birds "chew" their food inside a part of the stomach called the gizzard. The gizzard has strong muscles which grind the food against a rough inner surface to break it down. I spy with my little eye...

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