How about a little raptor action this morning?
While searching for some factual data about birds of prey, I came across this terrific resource called Science Trek produced by Idaho Public Television. It’s just chock full of interesting information about raptors. I learned some new things I didn’t know before. I’m including the link (idahoptv.org/...) and encourage you to read the whole thing, but I’m borrowing heavily and verbatim from it here. (The photos are mine, however.)
Facts: What Makes a Bird a Raptor?
All raptors have a hooked beak, excellent eyesight, sharp talons, and strong legs and feet. Check out what makes a bird a raptor and other nesting habits of raptors!
Hooked Beak
A raptor's beak is one feature used to set them apart from other birds. All raptors have the same beak design, curved at the tip with sharp cutting edges to tear apart prey that will easily fit into the mouth.
The beaks have evolved over time based on the type of prey eaten. For example, the American kestrel has a small beak for eating small prey, like mice and insects. Eagles have powerful, heavy beaks for tearing large pieces of meat, but snail kites have a highly specialized long, curved beak for probing inside snail shells.
Check out the beaks on these three different species:
Sharp Talons / Legs and Feet
Birds of prey have powerful leg and toe muscles that, when combined with their sharp talons, make their feet lethal weapons, perfectly designed to catch, hold, and carry prey. The length and size of a raptor’s toes and the curvature and thickness of its talons are related to the type of prey it pursues.
Most birds of prey will have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward. These toes can apply an extremely powerful grip on their prey, literally crushing it to death. The talons may also be used to pierce a vulnerable spot, such as the back of the neck, to quickly kill the prey. Eagles and hawks kill their prey by dislocating the neck.
Ospreys have two toes facing forward and two facing backward. This allows them to hold the fish they catch with four claws, two on each side for a secure grip. Ospreys also have spiny scales on their feet that help them hold the slippery fish more securely.
Owls also have four toes. However, one of the toes is very flexible, and can be rotated forward or backward for a two plus two or a three plus one toe arrangement. (Isn’t this fascinating? I never knew this before.)
When I read this info about raptor talons and toes/feet, I knew exactly what photos I would choose to illustrate these particular features. A few years ago, the Peregrine Falcon below landed on the 28th floor of the office building I worked in a few doors down from my office. I was able to set up my camera and take more than 300 photos of this gorgeous young raptor as it sat in the sun and preened. Just look at those talons! (The first photo below is one of my all-time favorite photos I have ever taken.)
Excellent Eyesight
Raptors are believed to have the keenest eyesight in nature because of the size of the eyeball and the eye muscles designed for rapid focus. Diurnal raptors have full-color vision and two concentrations of cones (one directed to the side and one directed forward) in each eye, which control color perception.
The sharpest point of vision at these concentrations is called the fovea. When the fovea works in unison, they give raptors accurate depth perception, which is very important for birds of prey that must focus quickly when chasing moving objects.
The keenness of vision is related to the agility, size, and color of prey a raptor hunts. When a bird bobs its head, it is using its eyes like a range finder and focusing in on a specific area.
Nocturnal raptors, the owls, have an added advantage over other raptors with their remarkable sharp night vision. Owls have a concentration of more rods in their eyes that are essential for seeing under low light conditions. An owl's eyes are also located in the front of their heads, much like humans. By contrast, the night vision of diurnal raptors is no better than a human's vision at night.
There is much more in the full article on eyesight, nests, and eggs, but since this has already gotten a bit long and I’ve included the link, I’ll move on and invite you to read the whole thing at your leisure.
So what’s going on in your birding world? Got any raptors or any other sightings or stories to share? Please use this as an open thread and let us know. Happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!
Sunday, Jun 18, 2017 · 1:29:07 PM +00:00
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Kestrel
Sunday morning addition: I meant to include this link to a hawk ID quiz and forgot, so I’m adding it here. It shows you pictures and you get to choose from the multiple choice list of possible answers. If you try it multiple times, the repetition and reinforcement really aid in learning. Especially for hawks you may have never seen before. Zone-tailed Hawk? I’m clueless.
Give it a try. It’s fun! idhawks.com/...