Birds of prey The most significant and recognizable group of birds. Bird hunters and scavengers. They all have good eyesight, large claws and a sharp beak.
The principle of hunting some species of birdsinfluenced their name. Birds of prey from the vulture squad are called scavengers for the reason that they are waiting for the moment when the victim falls by his own death to eat it.
The bird of prey hunts with its legs, notwhile using the beak. The term "predator" is derived from the Latin word "rapere", meaning "forceful seizure." After killing the prey with claws, they tear it with their beak apart.
Day and night predators
There are about 500 birds of prey on Earth.species. Their sizes vary greatly. The largest predator of the order of birds is considered to be the male eagle living in the upper Andes, and the smallest is the dwarf falcon living on the plains.
Само понятие «хищная птица» охватывает большое the number of birds feeding on vertebrates and small insects. Often, from the way of hunting for livestock occurs and their name. Birds of prey are classified into two types:
- diurnal predators;
- night hunters.
The traditional classification currently classifies the daytime predators to the falcon family, formally dividing them into five families. The names of birds of prey are listed alphabetically:
- Accipitridae. Order hawk. This includes eagles and buzzards.
- Cathartidae. Squad vultures. Including condors.
- Falconidae. Falcon squad.
- Pandionidae. Squad osp. Sometimes classified as a subfamily.
- Sagittariidae. Marabou squad. It also includes a secretary bird.
Nocturnal predators are combined into one family, owls and have two subgroups:
- Strigidae, or typical (normal) owls.
- Tytonidae, or laurel (bay- and barn-) owls.
These are two subgroups of birds, not related to each other,but having a great morphological similarity and leading the same way of life. Summarizes them only the similarity of vital functions and the name. Birds of prey were called nature orderlies for their ability to identify weak, sick representatives of the fauna and destroy them.
Factors affecting the name of birds of prey
Some names of birds of prey do not matchthis or that ornithological type. The historical names of the birds were given either on the fact of external similarity, or in connection with the general conditions of their livelihoods.
- Eagles. Large individuals, with wide long wings and powerful legs with plumage. Build very large nests.
- Osprey Live around the world.Medium-sized individuals with long wings and relatively weak legs. The main type of hunting is fishing. Due to this feature, the serpentine were attributed to this group - this is their traditional name. Predator birds This group build large nests.
- Hawks Medium-sized forest birds. They hunt in the air - “beat in years”, or dive for prey in the water. They have a fairly long tail, which serves as a steering wheel in flight.
- Falcons.The most common group of medium-sized predator birds. They live everywhere. They hunt medium and small vertebrates. Have sharp eyesight and excellent hearing. Rarely build their own nests. Often they settle in tree hollows or occupy abandoned nests of other birds. They can lay eggs in rock formations.
A variety of species of feathered world
Birds of prey are a very diverse species of feathered world. They are different in appearance, habitat, lifestyle, nature of nesting. There are giants and dwarfs.
The most curious feature of birds of preytheir sexual dimorphism is considered. This phenomenon is a strong difference in size between males and females. Many birds of prey, the names and photos of which can be found in each issue of the zoological publication, have a pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females of some species of falcons and hawks are almost twice as large as males. The exception to this rule can be made only by scavengers - females and males of this species are practically indistinguishable.
