Raptors are birds of prey that include hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, and vultures. They are predators that hunt and feed on other animals, mostly vertebrates like mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. The types of birds that different raptors eat depends on several factors including the size, hunting skills, habitat, and geographic range of each raptor species.
What do hawks eat?
There are over 60 species of hawks. In general, hawks prey on small mammals, other birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. The exact diet varies by species.
Some examples of birds commonly eaten by different hawk species include:
- Red-tailed Hawk – Doves, pigeons, quails, grouse, pheasants
- Cooper’s Hawk – Songbirds like robins, jays, chickadees, woodpeckers
- Sharp-shinned Hawk – Small songbirds like sparrows, warblers, finches
- Northern Goshawk – Grouse, ptarmigan, waterfowl, corvids
- Red-shouldered Hawk – Small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds like blackbirds and grackles
Bigger hawks like Red-tailed Hawks and Ferruginous Hawks will also prey on larger birds like ducks, pheasants, and even Great Blue Herons. Smaller hawks like Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks mainly eat small songbirds.
What do eagles eat?
Eagles are large, powerful raptors that can prey on bigger animals. There are over 60 eagle species worldwide. Some eagles mainly eat fish, while others are more predatory on other birds and mammals.
Examples of birds commonly eaten by different eagle species include:
- Bald Eagle – Waterbirds like ducks, gulls, herons, egrets, geese, loons
- Golden Eagle – Grouse, ptarmigan, waterfowl, gulls, crows, ravens, owls, hawks
- African Fish Eagle – Mainly fish, but sometimes waterbirds like herons
- Philippine Eagle – Large birds like hornbills, parrots, fruit doves
Larger eagle species like the Golden Eagle and Martial Eagle also prey on bigger land birds like bustards, pheasants, and turkeys. Bald Eagles and Steller’s Sea Eagles mainly eat seabirds, waterfowl, and fish.
What do owls eat?
Owls are nocturnal raptors adept at hunting at night. They have exceptional hearing and vision adapted for low light. There are over 200 owl species worldwide.
Some examples of birds commonly eaten by different owl species include:
- Great Horned Owl – Grouse, quails, smaller hawks and owls, geese, herons
- Snowy Owl – Ptarmigan, waterfowl, seabirds like auklets, murres
- Barn Owl – Voles and mice make up majority of diet, also small songbirds
- Barred Owl – Woodpeckers, jays, blackbirds, doves, grouse
- Eastern Screech Owl – Songbirds like sparrows, warblers, juncos
Larger owl species like the Great Horned Owl and Eurasian Eagle Owl will take larger prey like ducks, pheasants, and other raptors. Smaller owl species mainly eat small mammals, insects, and songbirds.
What do falcons eat?
Falcons are swift raptors adept at catching birds in flight. There are over 40 species worldwide. The diet of falcons is almost entirely composed of small birds.
Some examples of birds commonly eaten by different falcon species include:
- Peregrine Falcon – Doves, pigeons, shorebirds, songbirds like jays, blackbirds, finches
- Gyrfalcon – Ptarmigan, grouse, waterfowl, gulls, sandpipers, songbirds
- Merlin – Small shorebirds, warblers, sparrows, swallows, waxwings, starlings
- American Kestrel – Insects, small mammals, and small birds like sparrows and mice
The Peregrine Falcon is known for its speed and agility in catching fast-flying prey like pigeons and doves on the wing. The Gyrfalcon hunts large birds like ducks and ptarmigan. The Merlin often catches flocks of shorebirds and swallows in mid-air.
What do vultures eat?
Vultures are scavengers that feed on carrion. There are over 30 vulture species worldwide. Unlike other raptors, vultures do not usually kill prey themselves.
Vultures eat carcasses of dead animals, including dead birds. Some examples of birds vultures are often seen feeding on include:
- Turkey Vulture – Seabirds, waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds
- Black Vulture – Smaller terrestrial birds like doves, pigeons, grouse, quails
- King Vulture – Carrion from large mammals and birds like parrots, ducks, raptors
- Griffon Vulture – Large dead animals including herons, raptors, waterfowl
Vultures play an important role as scavengers by cleaning up carcasses and preventing the spread of diseases. They have highly acidic stomachs that allow them to feed on rotting carcasses infected with deadly bacteria like anthrax or botulism.
Key factors that determine what birds raptors eat
Several key factors determine what type of prey different raptor species feed on:
- Size – Larger raptor species can subdue bigger prey like ducks, geese, and mammals. Small raptors eat smaller birds, insects, lizards, and rodents.
- Hunting abilities – More powerful and agile fliers like falcons catch birds on the wing. Soaring raptors like eagles and hawks swoop down on prey.
- Habitat – Forest raptors take songbirds and woodland prey. Open country raptors eat ground birds like quail, grouse. Wetland raptors prey on waterbirds.
- Geography – Raptors widespread across continents eat diverse prey. Raptors limited to islands adapt to eating certain available prey.
The size and weight of the raptor, its flight style and speed, habitat preferences, and geographic range all affect what type of prey it has access to and can successfully hunt. Raptors are opportunistic predators that will vary their diet based on prey availability.
Why do raptors hunt birds?
There are several key reasons why many raptor species prey on birds:
- Abundant food source – Many habitats have diverse bird populations, providing readily available prey.
- High caloric content – Birds provide more calories per pound compared to many mammals or reptiles.
- Ease of capture – Flight gives raptors an advantage capturing evasive avian prey.
- Nest availability – Many raptors prey on birds that also nest on cliffs, trees, or platforms, providing easy access.
- Dietary needs – Raptor chicks need abundant protein from birds while growing.
Birds provide raptors with a nutritious and easily accessible food source. However, raptors play an important role in balancing bird populations and preventing overgrazing or disease transmission.
Effects of raptors on bird populations
Raptors hunting birds helps regulate prey populations and remove weak, old, or diseased individuals. However, excessive raptor predation can negatively impact rare or endangered bird populations. Some effects raptors have on different bird populations include:
- Prevents overpopulation and resource competition of abundant prey species like pigeons.
- Can reduce reproductive success of heavily predated waterfowl, seabirds, etc.
- Forces prey to adapt with defensive behaviors and plumage.
- Can decimate rare bird populations on isolated islands.
- Selects stronger, healthier individuals by culling weaker prey.
Raptor predation pressure is one of many factors that influences bird population sizes, along with habitat loss, food availability, and disease. Generally raptors help maintain a balance, but conservation measures are sometimes needed to protect rare bird species vulnerable to excessive raptor predation.
Notable examples of raptors hunting birds
Some interesting examples of different raptors hunting bird prey include:
- Peregrine Falcons diving at over 200 mph to knock ducks and pigeons out of the air.
- Bald Eagles snatching fish straight from the talons of Ospreys in mid-air.
- Great Horned Owls perching patiently to ambush roosting ducks and grouse at night.
- Red-tailed Hawks chasing Northern Flickers and other woodpeckers through forests.
- Ferruginous Hawks migrating south in winter to hunt small birds absent from their northern range.
Watching different raptors hunt using their specialized skills and adaptations provides a glimpse into their importance as apex avian predators. Their ability to hunt birds has allowed raptors to flourish across diverse worldwide habitats.
Conclusion
Raptors occupy an important ecological niche as bird predators. Their diet varies based on factors like size, habitat, range, and hunting skills. Larger raptors like eagles prey on bigger birds and mammals. Smaller raptors like falcons and hawks take songbirds, pigeons, and waterfowl. Owls ambush nighttime avian prey. Scavenging vultures feed on carrion from dead birds and animals. While excessive raptor predation can threaten endangered bird populations, most raptors help naturally regulate and balance prey numbers by removing sick or weak individuals. Watching a skilled raptor chase down avian prey demonstrates the speed, power, and adaptations that make birds of prey such effective hunters.