Hawks and Eagles: Accipitridae

Hawks and eagles are found on all continents except Antarctica.

Sea eagles catch fish along coasts, but most raptors are land birds. They live in every kind of land habitat, including the tundra of the Far North, forests, wetlands, deserts, grasslands, mountains, and farmlands. They can also live in towns and cities with parks.

All hawks and eagles are carnivorous, meat eaters, and, except for vultures, they eat only freshly caught prey. Most of them eat any animal they can catch, but some have very special diets. For example, crab hawks eat crabs found in mangrove forests, snail kites eat snails, and ospreys eat fish.