Falconiformes live on every continent except Antarctica.
Most raptors are land birds, although some of them snatch fish from lakes or oceans. They live in every kind of land habitat, including the tundra of the far north, forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, mountains, farmlands, seacoasts, and even large cities.
The birds in the order Falconiformes are called raptors (RAP-ters), or birds of prey, meaning they hunt animals for food. The raptors in the order Falconiformes include hawks, eagles, Old World vultures (from Africa, Asia, and Europe), falcons, and secretary birds. These raptors hunt during the day, and have beaks and feet that are made for hunting. Their beaks have sharp hooks that can tear meat.…
Except for vultures, raptors kill the animals they eat. Most raptors are not fussy—they will eat any animal they can catch. These animals include mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, insects, frogs, crabs, and snails. Some also eat eggs and garbage, and vultures eat carrion (dead animals). A few of the birds have special diets and eat only one or two kinds of prey. Each type of raptor has a spec…
Raptors have simple calls that are often high-pitched and may sound something like "keer-keer." Pairs often call to each other to say, "I'm here—where are you?" At migration time, huge flocks of raptors journey north and south together. Hawks that breed in northern areas make up the biggest flocks, but some falcons also make long migration trips. Most rapt…
From prehistoric times, birds of prey have been a part of people's lives. Many people admire the birds, and some even worshiped them as part of their religion. But others are afraid of them or think they are bad because they kill other animals. Pictures of raptors are used to symbolize power, freedom, strength, and speed. The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, and birds o…
Of the approximately 300 species in the Falconiformes order, thirteen are listed as Critically Endangered, facing an extremely high risk of extinction, or Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction. Another fifty-five are listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction, or Near Threatened, close to becoming threatened with extinction. One reason so many are in trouble is that a lot o…
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