A bird of prey resorts to hunting for food.
Raptor is a term from the Latin word rapax that is used as an adjective in zoology to describe birds of prey or prey . Birds of prey, therefore, are those that resort to hunting to obtain food.
A bird of prey uses its claws and beak to catch its prey, kill it and eat its meat . Thanks to their anatomical characteristics, these birds can feed on animals that are much larger than them in terms of size.
In some cases, birds of prey are also scavengers (that is, they feed on animals that are already dead, without needing to hunt them ). The condor, eagle, seagull , vulture , hawk and owl are some types of birds of prey.
Classification of birds of prey
In addition to all the above, we cannot ignore the fact that, as a general rule, birds of prey are divided into two large groups:
- The nocturnal or strigiformes , which are great hunters, very solitary and, as their name indicates, carry out nocturnal activities. They can feed on other birds as well as small mammals, insects and even fish. Within this group, in turn, there are two types: the strigids , like owls, which are made up of up to two hundred different species and which eat invertebrates or small invertebrates; and the titonids , like owls. The latter are identified because they are not migratory birds and because they have a medium size and a wide head.
- The diurnal or falconiform species , of which there are more than three hundred different species, and which are characterized because they are robust, have a very sharp, hook-shaped beak, have short legs and their plumage is very thick.
It is also important to know that the so-called diurnal birds of prey can be classified, in turn, into five different groups:
- The Pandionids , which can be found in many corners of the world and take their name from the Greek king of Athens called Pandion . An example is the osprey.
- The sagittarids , which are identified by their feathers on top and their black legs. Among them is the secretary.
- Cathartids , like certain vultures.
- Accipitrids , such as goshawks and eagles.
- Falconids , such as kestrels and falcons.
Owls are birds of prey.
falconry
The technique of training birds of prey for hunting is known as falconry .
It is a medieval discipline that, over time, disappeared, although it is still preserved as a tradition or sports practice in some regions.
Symbolic use of the term rapacious
In a symbolic sense, the adjective rapacious is used to describe those subjects who are dedicated to certain types of crimes , such as robbery or theft . The meaning of the notion supposes a kind of analogy with what birds do when they attack their prey .
Suppose a man is walking down a street and, suddenly, he is approached by three criminals who, in a few seconds, beat him, take his wallet and phone and leave, leaving him badly injured. Given this fact, it could be said that the victim was approached by three birds of prey .