Birds of prey, such as hawks, owls, kestrels, and eagles, are also known as raptors because they use claws rather than beaks to capture prey. These birds are carnivorous and stand out for having great eyesight. In addition, they are able to easily detect small prey as they move through the sky.
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is the fastest bird on Earth, reaching more than 300 kilometers per hour to catch up with its prey before it has a chance to flee. Likewise, the falcon is a specialist in hunting birds of all sizes, from geese or gray herons to turtledoves or partridges.
Likewise, the ferruginous hawk ( Buteo regalis ) lives mainly in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Like almost all raptors, it hunts mainly small mammals such as rabbits, prairie dogs, mice, or squirrels, although they can also eat amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
On the other hand, although owls are nocturnal and tend to hunt at night, the northern hawk owl ( Surnia ulula ) hunts mainly during the day. This bird stands out for having a flat head, a long tail and a flight pattern similar to that of a hawk. As for its diet, it usually feeds on voles, rats, rabbits and squirrels.
If you want to discover more curiosities about birds of prey, take a look at the following image gallery.
