Every birder can recognize birds of prey, but there are subtle distinctions between different types of raptors that make each one unique. From size to wing shape to feeding habits, birds of prey are diverse and understanding the differences between the different species classifications can help birders more quickly identify the raptors they see.
Click on any category for a more detailed definition.
A generic term for all birds of prey. Raptors are
carnivorous birds with strong bills, large
talons and exceptional flight capabilities.
Slender forest hawks with rounded wings and long tails that give them excellent flight maneuverability, such as Cooper’s and
sharp-shinned hawks.
Larger hawks with broad wings and short tails that soar over open country while hunting, such as red-tailed hawks and ferruginous hawks.
Very large soaring hawks with exceptionally keen eyesight and powerful wings.
Golden eagles and
bald eagles are the most familiar species.
Raptors with tapered, pointed wings built for speed and agile flight. The
peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest animal with dive speeds up to 200 miles per hour.
Hawks that fly low or hover while hunting over open country. The northern harrier is the only species regularly seen in North America.
Raptors with short, rounded wings and relatively long tails. Hawks are generally divided into accipiters (forest hawks) and buteos (grassland hawks).
Small, agile birds of prey with tapered wings and graceful flight. Most kites are regularly seen only in southern areas, except the white-tailed kite, which can be found along the Pacific coast.
A fish hunting raptor and one of the most widespread birds of prey in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica. There is only one species of osprey.
Nocturnal birds of prey with upright posture and forward facing eyes. Owls have keen night vision, excellent hearing and nearly silent flight that make them superb night predators.
Songbirds that have behavioral characteristics similar to birds of prey. Shrikes have earned the nickname “butcher birds” because they impale prey on thorns or spikes in order to tear it with their relatively weak talons.
Exceptionally large, scavenging raptors with featherless heads.
Carrion is their preferred diet and vultures can soar for hours while searching for a meal.
