A bird of prey, also called a raptor, is a carnivorous bird that obtains its food either by hunting or by feeding on carrion (dead animals). Such birds have strong, curved talons (claws) and a sharply hooked beak for seizing, holding and tearing its food. They are also characterized by excellent eyesight, and often good hearing, to enable them to detect prey from long distances or in low light.
The prey typically consists of other vertebrates, such as mammals, reptiles and smaller birds. Although many other bird species, such as storks, herons, gulls and penguins, also eat some small animals, such as fish or insects, they are not classified as birds of prey because they lack a hooked beak and specialized talons.
Most birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, falcons, kites and many vultures, are diurnal (active in the daytime). Nocturnal birds of prey are mainly owls.
There are major differences in hunting methods and diet among the various types of birds of prey. Soaring hunters (such as eagles and some hawks) glide high while scanning for prey, then dive down to grab it with their sharp talons. Falcons make high-speed aerial chases or steep dives to strike birds in midair, sometimes first hitting and stunning them before grabbing them. Forest hawks, in contrast, employ fast, agile flight through trees to surprise birds and small mammals. Some species, such as Harris's hawks, cooperate in groups to surround and catch mammals such as rabbits.
Owls hunt mostly at night using a combination of very sensitive hearing and good low-light vision to locate small mammals, birds, and sometimes insects. Their soft-edged feathers let them fly nearly silently so that their prey cannot hear them approaching.
Scavenger birds of prey have a different feeding method and ecological role than other birds of prey, which actively chase live prey and play crucial roles in controlling populations of rodents, insects and other small animals, thereby reducing damage to crops and other plants. Scavenger birds of prey, which include vultures and some eagles, in contrast, locate dead animals, either visually or by smell, and then tear their flesh with their beaks. They often outcompete other scavengers to strip carcasses quickly, even within just a few hours.
In addition to recycling nutrients back into the soil and supporting overall biodiversity as do other birds, scavenger birds of prey prevent population surges among rats as well as stray dogs and other rabies-carrying mammals that would otherwise thrive on uneaten remains. This also curbs deadly pathogens such as anthrax, tuberculosis and brucellosis, which can fester in corpses and infect livestock, wildlife and humans.
Around 550 to 560 species of birds of prey are currently recognized worldwide. Almost one third of these face a high risk of extinction in the absence of strong conservation measures. In several regions, especially parts of Africa and Asia, populations of large eagles and vultures have dropped by 70 to 90 percent over recent decades, putting many species at immediate risk of disappearing both locally and globally. Examples of critically endangered species include the Philippine eagle, Cuban kite, white-headed vulture and the California condor. Most continue to decline rapidly, although the California condor is now slowly increasing as a result of intensive conservation efforts.
The most important pressures on birds of prey are habitat loss and degradation from agriculture, urbanization, deforestation and infrastructure development, which reduce both nesting sites and prey populations. Other major threats include poisoning (including by pesticides and rodenticides), electrocutions on power lines, collisions with wind turbines, illegal hunting and trade, and the effects of climate change on prey availability and habitat.