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"Speotyto. Burrowing Owls. tarsi long, about twice as long as the middle toe without its claw, very scant-feathered in front, bare behind; toes bristly. The long slim legs are quite peculiar.

The Beaks and Claws of a Burrowing Owl

"Speotyto. Burrowing Owls. tarsi long, about twice as long as the middle toe without its claw, very…

"Birds of Prey" are birds who hunt for their food (other animals or meat) in flight. When they find prey they swoop out of the air and using their "hooked" beaks and sharp claws they seize the unsuspecting animal. Their bodies are compact, head rounded, and are very strong.

Birds of Prey

"Birds of Prey" are birds who hunt for their food (other animals or meat) in flight. When they find…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Buzzard

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Buzzard. "Hen Hawk". Upper surface of tail rich chestnut, with white tip and usually a black subterminal zone, with or without other narrower and more or less imperfect black bars; sometimes barred throughout. From below, the tail appears pearly whitish with a reddish tinge, wither quite uniform, or barred throughout with the whitish and blackish. In general, it is the female with the most barred or completely barred tail, the male with the uniform tail, only subterminally once-zoned. Upper parts blackish-brown, with a thoroughly indeterminate amount of light variegation, gray, fulvous, and whitish; feathers of hind head and nape with cottony white bases, showing when disturbed; those of hind neck usually with fulvous edging; of scapular region showing most variegation with tawny or whitish, or both, the scapulars and adjoining feathers being largely barred, and only blackish on their exposed portions; upper tail-coverts showing much tawny and white. Ground color of under parts white, more or less buff-toned, the dark color of the upper parts reaching nearly or quite around the throat, the flanks and lower belly heavily marked with dark brown or blackish, but a large pectoral area, with the tibiae and crissum, mostly free from markings, as a rule; but no description will cover the latitude of coloration. Primaries blackening on their exposed portions, for the rest lighter grayish-brown, dark-barred across both webs, and extensively white-areated on inner webs basally." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-tailed Buzzard

"Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Buzzard. "Hen Hawk". Upper surface of tail rich chestnut, with white tip…

"Cathartes aura. Turkey Buzzard. Blackih-brown, grayer on the wing-coverts; quills black, ashy-gray on their under surface; tail black, with pale brown shafts. Head red, from livid crimson to pale carmine, with whitish specks usually; bill dead white; feet flesh-colored; iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Turkey Buzzard

"Cathartes aura. Turkey Buzzard. Blackih-brown, grayer on the wing-coverts; quills black, ashy-gray…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Caracara

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Caracara

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Polyborus auduboni. Common Caracara. General color blackish, the throat, neck all around, and more or less of fore back and breast whitish, spotted and chiefly barred with blackish; upper and under tail-coverts and most of the tail white, the latter very numerously barred with blackish, of which color is the broad terminal zone; the shafts white along the white portion of each feather. Basal portion of primaries likewise barred with whitish. Bill variously pale colored; cere carmine; iris brown; feet yellow; claws black; soft parts drying to a dingy indefinable color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Caracaras

"Polyborus auduboni. Common Caracara. General color blackish, the throat, neck all around, and more…

"Pseudogryphus californianus. California Condor. Adult: Blackish, the feathers with browner tips or edges, quite gray or even whitish on the wing-coverts and inner quills; primaries and tail-feathers black; axillars and lining of wings white; bill yellowish, reddening on cere, and skin of the head orange or reddish; iris said by some to be brown, by other carmine." Elliot Coues, 1884

California Condor

"Pseudogryphus californianus. California Condor. Adult: Blackish, the feathers with browner tips or…

Eagles are large predatory birds of the falcon family.

Eagle

Eagles are large predatory birds of the falcon family.

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable size,(Figuier, 1869).

American Sea Eagle

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable…

"Its flight is as powerful as that of the golden eagle, and its adroitness and strength are even greater. This eagle is the chosen emblem of the United States."

Bald or White-headed Eagle (Haliaetus Leucocephalus)

"Its flight is as powerful as that of the golden eagle, and its adroitness and strength are even greater.…

"Haliaetus leucocephalus. White-headed Sea Eagle. "Bald Eagle." "Bird of Washington". Adult: Dark brown; quills black; head and tail white; bill, eyes, and feet yellow. Three years are required for the perfection of the white head tail of the "bald" eagle. The first year, the young are "black" eagle; very dark colored, with fleecy white bases of the feathers showing here and there; bill black; iris brown feet yellow. The next year, they are "gray" eagles, and usually larger than the old birds, the largest known specimens being of this kind." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bald Eagle

"Haliaetus leucocephalus. White-headed Sea Eagle. "Bald Eagle." "Bird of Washington". Adult: Dark brown;…

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable size, (Figuier, 1869).

Golden Eagle

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable…

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable size, (Figuier, 1869).

Golden Eagle

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable…

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable size, (Figuier, 1869).

Imperial Eagle

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable…

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable size,(Figuier, 1869).

Imperial Eagle

The Eagle is endowed with immense muscular vigor, and is therefore, able to carry off prey of considerable…

Falcons are a group of birds of prey that vary in size from the falconet to the gyrefalcon. They can fly at 200 mph in order to catch their prey.

Falcon

Falcons are a group of birds of prey that vary in size from the falconet to the gyrefalcon. They can…

"Falco mexicanus. American Lanner Falcon. Prairie Flacon. A medium-sized species, distinguished from any gyrfalcon by the smaller size, different feathering of the tarsus etc., from the duck hawk by the general much lighter color, which is dull brownish above instead of dark slate, etc. Adult: Upper parts brownish-drab, each feather with a paler border of brown, grayish, or whitish; the top of the head more uniform, the occiput and nape showing more whitish. Under parts white, everywhere excepting on the throat marked with firm spots of dark brown, most linear on the breast, then more broadly oval on the belly, enlarging and tending to merge into bars on the flanks, very sparse or obsolete on the crissum, on the maxiliary region forming a broad firm moustache; these marking corresponding with the ground color of the upper parts. Primaries ashy-brown, with narrow but firm pale edging of outer webs and ends, the inner webs regularly marked with white in form of barred indents or circumscribed spots, most numerous and regular on the outer primaries; the white tinged with fulvous, next to the shafts; the outer web of the first primary either plain, or with whitish indents as in F. lanarius; outer webs of secondaries more or less marked with fulvous; axillars plain dark brown; lining of wings otherwise white, spotted with dark brown. Tail pale brownish-gray, nearly uniform, but with white tip, and more or less distinct barring or indenting with whitish, especially on the lateral feathers, producing a pattern not unlike that of the primaries. Bill mostly dark bluish horn-color, but its base, and much of under mandible, yellow; feet yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Prairie Falcon Head

"Falco mexicanus. American Lanner Falcon. Prairie Flacon. A medium-sized species, distinguished from…

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Hobby Falcon

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Peregrine Falcon

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

"The falcons, it may be said, realize the ideal of a bird of prey. They feed only on living animals, birds or small mammals. They always hunt on the wing."

Red-Necked Falcon, or Turumdi (Falco Chiquera)

"The falcons, it may be said, realize the ideal of a bird of prey. They feed only on living animals,…

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Sultan Falcon

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Sultan Falcon

With sharp claws,penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

"Falcons. Bill furnished with a sharp tooth and notch near the end of the cutting edge of the upper mandible (sometimes two such teeth), and the end of under mandible truncated, with notch near the tip. Nostrils circular, high in the cere, with a prominent central tubercle. Inter-nasal septum extensively ossified. Palate with a median keel anteriorly. Superciliary shied prominent, in one large piece. Shoulder-joint strengthened by union of scapular process of the coracoid with the clavicle as in Micrastur, Herpetothers, and the Polyborinae alone of Flaconidae. Wings strong, long, and pointed, with rigid and usually straight and tapering flight-feathers; the tip formed by the 2d and 3d quills, supported nearly to their ends by the 1st and the 4th, both of which are longer then the 5th; only one or two outer primaries emarginate on inner webs near the end. Tail short and stiff, with more or less tapering rectrices. Feet strong, rather short, the tarsus of less length than the tibia, feathered more or less extensively, elsewhere irregularly reculate in small pattern varying with the genera or subgenera; never scutellate in single series before or behind. Middle toe very long; talons very short." Elliot Coues, 1884

Falcons

"Falcons. Bill furnished with a sharp tooth and notch near the end of the cutting edge of the upper…

"Falco mexicanus. American Lanner Falcon. Prairie Flacon. A medium-sized species, distinguished from any gyrfalcon by the smaller size, different feathering of the tarsus etc., from the duck hawk by the general much lighter color, which is dull brownish above instead of dark slate, etc. Adult: Upper parts brownish-drab, each feather with a paler border of brown, grayish, or whitish; the top of the head more uniform, the occiput and nape showing more whitish. Under parts white, everywhere excepting on the throat marked with firm spots of dark brown, most linear on the breast, then more broadly oval on the belly, enlarging and tending to merge into bars on the flanks, very sparse or obsolete on the crissum, on the maxiliary region forming a broad firm moustache; these marking corresponding with the ground color of the upper parts. Primaries ashy-brown, with narrow but firm pale edging of outer webs and ends, the inner webs regularly marked with white in form of barred indents or circumscribed spots, most numerous and regular on the outer primaries; the white tinged with fulvous, next to the shafts; the outer web of the first primary either plain, or with whitish indents as in F. lanarius; outer webs of secondaries more or less marked with fulvous; axillars plain dark brown; lining of wings otherwise white, spotted with dark brown. Tail pale brownish-gray, nearly uniform, but with white tip, and more or less distinct barring or indenting with whitish, especially on the lateral feathers, producing a pattern not unlike that of the primaries. Bill mostly dark bluish horn-color, but its base, and much of under mandible, yellow; feet yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Two Lanner Falcon

"Falco mexicanus. American Lanner Falcon. Prairie Flacon. A medium-sized species, distinguished from…

"Falco peregrinus. Peregrine Falcon. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. A medium-sized falcon, about as large as the foregoing, but known at a glance from any bird of N. Am. by the slaty-plumbeous or dark bluish-ash of the upper parts, the black "moustache," and other marks, taken with its particular size and shape. Wings stiff, long, thin, pointed by the 2d quill, supported nearly to its tip by 1st and 3d; 1st quill alone abruptly emarginate on inner web, this about 2 inches from its tip; none cut on outer webs. Tomium of upper mandible strongly toothed, of under mandible deeply notched. Tarsus feathered but a little way down in front, otherwise entirely reticulate; toes very long, giving great grasp to the talons. Adult: Above rich dark bluish-ash or slate-color, very variable, sometimes quite slaty-blackish, again much lighter bluish-slate; the tint pretty uniform, whatever it may be, over all the upper parts, but all the feathers with somewhat paler edges, and the larger ones for the most part obscurely barred with lighter and darker hues. Under parts at large varying from nearly pure white to a peculiar muddy buff color of different degrees of intensity; the throat and breast usually free from markings (or only with a few sharp shaft pencillings), and this white or light color mounting on the auriculars, so that it partly isolates a blackish moustache from the blackish of the side of the head; the under parts, except as said, and including the under wing- and tail-coverts closely and regularly barred, or less closely and more irregularly spotted, with blackish; the bars best pronounced on the flanks, tibiae, and crissum, other parts tending to spotting, which may extend forward to invade the breast (this is the rule in European birds, the exception, though not a rare one, in American birds). Tail and its upper coverts regularly and closely barred with blackish and ashy-gray, the interspacing best marked on the inner webs, and all the feathers narrowly tipped with white or whitish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Two Peregrine Falcons

"Falco peregrinus. Peregrine Falcon. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. A medium-sized falcon, about as large…

"Falco peregrinus. Peregrine Falcon. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. A medium-sized falcon, about as large as the foregoing, but known at a glance from any bird of N. Am. by the slaty-plumbeous or dark bluish-ash of the upper parts, the black "moustache," and other marks, taken with its particular size and shape. Wings stiff, long, thin, pointed by the 2d quill, supported nearly to its tip by 1st and 3d; 1st quill alone abruptly emarginate on inner web, this about 2 inches from its tip; none cut on outer webs. Tomium of upper mandible strongly toothed, of under mandible deeply notched. Tarsus feathered but a little way down in front, otherwise entirely reticulate; toes very long, giving great grasp to the talons. Adult: Above rich dark bluish-ash or slate-color, very variable, sometimes quite slaty-blackish, again much lighter bluish-slate; the tint pretty uniform, whatever it may be, over all the upper parts, but all the feathers with somewhat paler edges, and the larger ones for the most part obscurely barred with lighter and darker hues. Under parts at large varying from nearly pure white to a peculiar muddy buff color of different degrees of intensity; the throat and breast usually free from markings (or only with a few sharp shaft pencillings), and this white or light color mounting on the auriculars, so that it partly isolates a blackish moustache from the blackish of the side of the head; the under parts, except as said, and including the under wing- and tail-coverts closely and regularly barred, or less closely and more irregularly spotted, with blackish; the bars best pronounced on the flanks, tibiae, and crissum, other parts tending to spotting, which may extend forward to invade the breast (this is the rule in European birds, the exception, though not a rare one, in American birds). Tail and its upper coverts regularly and closely barred with blackish and ashy-gray, the interspacing best marked on the inner webs, and all the feathers narrowly tipped with white or whitish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Peregrine Falcon Small

"Falco peregrinus. Peregrine Falcon. Duck Hawk. Great-footed Hawk. A medium-sized falcon, about as large…

"The Gerfalcon is the most powerful of the Falcon tribe. The falcons, it may be said, realize the ideal of a bird of prey."

Gerfalcon

"The Gerfalcon is the most powerful of the Falcon tribe. The falcons, it may be said, realize the ideal…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Goshawk

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Astur atricapillus. American Goshawk. Blue Hen Hawk (adult). Chicken Hawk (young). Adult: Above, dark bluish-slate color, each feather black-shafted; top of head blackish, conspicuously different from other upper parts, the feathers there with fleecy white bases; a long white superciliary or rather post-ocular stripe; auriculars blackish. Ground color of under parts, including lining of wings, white, closely barred or vermiculated in narrow zigzag lines with slaty-brown, except on throat and crissum, and everywhere sharply pencilled with blackish shaft-lines, one on each feather. The barring is largest and most regular on the belly, flanks, and tibiae, but is for the most part much dissipated in a fine mottling. It varies greatly in coarseness in different specimens, some of which approach A. palumbarius in this respect. Tail like back, banded with four or five blackish bars, the terminal one much the broadest. Bill dark bluish; iris yellowish; feet yellow, claws black." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Goshawk

"Astur atricapillus. American Goshawk. Blue Hen Hawk (adult). Chicken Hawk (young). Adult: Above, dark…

"The Harpy or Crested Eagle is the model species of the genus to which it belongs. It measures nearly five feet from the extremity of the head to that of the tail."

Harpy-Eagle (Harpyia Destructor)

"The Harpy or Crested Eagle is the model species of the genus to which it belongs. It measures nearly…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Harrier

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Circinae. Harriers. Face surrounded with an incomplete ruff (as in most owls); orifice of ear about as large as the eye, and in some cases at least with a decided conch (in this picture). Bill rather weak, not toothed or notched. Bill thickly beset with many curved radiating bristles surpassing in length the cere, which is large and tumid; tomia lobed or festooned, but neither toothed nor notched. Nostrils ovate-oblong, nearly horizontal. Superciliary shield prominent. Tarsus long and slender, scutellate before and mostly so behind, reticulate laterally; toes slender, the middle with its claw much shorter than the tarsus; a basal web between the outer and middle; all tuberculate underneath; Claws very large and sharp, much curved. Wings very long and ample; 3d and 4th quills longest; 1st shorter than 6th; outer 3-5 (in our species 4) emarginate on inner webs; 2d-5th emarginate on outer webs. Tail very long, about 2/3rds as long as the wing, nearly even or rounded, the folded wings falling short of its end. " Elliot, Coues, 1884

Harrier Ear Parts

"Circinae. Harriers. Face surrounded with an incomplete ruff (as in most owls); orifice of ear about…

"Buteo vulgaris. hawk of Europe, Upper parts dark brown, very variable in shade according to season or wear of the feathers, varied with paler brown, or even reddish-brown edging of the feathers, but without the clear fawn color of the young; the feathers of the crown showing whitish when distributed, and usually sharp, dark shaft-lines; the upper tail-coverts chestnut and white, with blackish bars. Quills and tail-feathers as below, but the inner webs of the former showing more decided dark cross-bars upon a lighter marbled-whitish ground, and the latter having broader and sharper, dark wavy bars. These large quills, and particularly those of the tail, vary much in shade according to wear, the new feathers being strongly slate-colored, the old ones plain dark brown. The tail, however, never shows any trace often rich chestnut that obtains in the adult B borealis. Iris brown, never yellow; feet, cere, gape, and base of under mandible rich chrome-yellow; rest of bill and claws bluish-black." Elliot Coues, 1884

European Hawk

"Buteo vulgaris. hawk of Europe, Upper parts dark brown, very variable in shade according to season…

Birds of prey usually have stout, hooked beaks and sharp, curved claws, fitting them for clutching and tearing their prey.

Marsh Hawk

Birds of prey usually have stout, hooked beaks and sharp, curved claws, fitting them for clutching and…

"Circus cyaneus hudsonius. American Marsh Hawk, Harrier. Blue hawk. Adult Male: In perfect plumage pale pearly-bluish, or bluish-ash, above, with the upper tail-coverts entirely pure white; but most specimens have a dusky wash obscuring the bluish, and retain traces of brown or rufous. Five outer primaries mostly blackish, all of them and the secondaries with large white basal areas on inner webs; tail-feathers banded with 5 or 6 obscure dusky bars, the terminal one strongest and most distinct, and marbled with white toward their bases. The bluish cast invades the fore under parts, the rest of which are white, with sparse drop-shaped rufous spots; lining of wings white. From this blue-and-white state the bird is found grading by degrees into the very different plumage of the female and young: Above, dark umber-brown, everywhere more or less varied with reddish-brown or yellowish-brown, the upper tail-coverts, however, white, forming a very conspicuous mark; under parts a variable shade of brownish-yellow, or ochraceous, streaked with umber-brown, at least on breast and sides; tail crossed with 6-7 blackish bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Marsh Hawk

"Circus cyaneus hudsonius. American Marsh Hawk, Harrier. Blue hawk. Adult Male: In perfect plumage pale…

"Accipiter fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. "Pigeon" Hawk. Above, dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray, somewhat more fuscous on the wings and tail than on the body, the feathers of the hind-head with fleecy white bases, the scapulars with concealed white spots. Tail crossed by about 4 blackish bars, the first under the coverts, the last subterminal and broadest; extreme tips of the feathers white. Primaries also marked with blackish bars or spots, and whitening at their bases, in bars or indents of the inner webs. Under parts barred crosswise with rufous on a white ground, the bars on some parts cordate and connected along the shafts of the feathers, which are blackish; ear-coverts rufous; rufous mostly or entirely wanting on the cheeks, throat, and crissum, which are more or less finely pencilled with the black shafts of the feathers; crissum, however, often pure white. Axillars barred like other under parts; lining of wings white, with dusky spots." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sharp-shinned Hawk

"Accipiter fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. "Pigeon" Hawk. Above, dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray,…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Sparrow Hawk

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Falco sparverius. Rusty-crowned Falcon. Sparrow Hawk. Adults: Crown ashy-blue, with a chestnut patch, sometimes small or altogether wanting, sometimes occupying nearly all the crown. Conspicuous black maxillary and auricular patches which, with three others around the nape, make seven places in all, usually evident, but some of them often obscure or wanting. Back cinnamon-rufous, or chestnut, like the crown-patch, in the male with a few black spots or none, in the female with numerous black bars. Wing-coverts of the male fine ashy-blue, like the crown, with or without black spots; of the female cinnamon-rufous and black barred, like the back. Quill feathers in male, female blackish, usually with pale edges and tips, and the inner webs with numerous white indentations, or bars continuous along the inner webs, leaving the black chiefly in a series of dentations proceeding from the shafts; ends of secondaries usually also slaty-blue like the coverts. Tail bright chestnut, in the male with white tip, broad black subterminal zone, and outer feathers mostly white with several black bars, in the female the whole tail with numerous imperfect black bars. Under parts white, variously tinged with buff or tawny, in the male with a few black spots or none, in the female with many dark brown streaks; throat and vent usually immaculate. Bill dark horn; cere and feet yellow or orange. Elliot Coues, 1884

Sparrow Hawk

"Falco sparverius. Rusty-crowned Falcon. Sparrow Hawk. Adults: Crown ashy-blue, with a chestnut patch,…

"Accipiter fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. "Pigeon" Hawk. Above, dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray, somewhat more fuscous on the wings and tail than on the body, the feathers of the hind-head with fleecy white bases, the scapulars with concealed white spots. Tail crossed by about 4 blackish bars, the first under the coverts, the last subterminal and broadest; extreme tips of the feathers white. Primaries also marked with blackish bars or spots, and whitening at their bases, in bars or indents of the inner webs. Under parts barred crosswise with rufous on a white ground, the bars on some parts cordate and connected along the shafts of the feathers, which are blackish; ear-coverts rufous; rufous mostly or entirely wanting on the cheeks, throat, and crissum, which are more or less finely pencilled with the black shafts of the feathers; crissum, however, often pure white. Axillars barred like other under parts; lining of wings white, with dusky spots." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sharp-shinned Hawk - Small

"Accipiter fuscus. Sharp-shinned Hawk. "Pigeon" Hawk. Above, dark plumbeous, slate-color, or bluish-gray,…

Falco tinnunculus. Common Kestral. This bird is a European bird of prey. Plumage on upperside, chestnut-brown with black spots; underside narrow black streaks; tail has a black tip with thin white rim; male has bluish-gray head; female has a brown tail with black bars.

Common Kestral

Falco tinnunculus. Common Kestral. This bird is a European bird of prey. Plumage on upperside, chestnut-brown…

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Kestrel

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

Kite

Hawks have strong talons, curved bills and keen eyesight.

"Milvus milvus, the Red Kite or Forked Tail Glead of the Old World, ranging from the Atlantic Islands-except, perhaps, the Azores-through most of Europe to Palestine, Asia, Minor, and Northern Africa, but leaving the northerly districts in autumn, is red-brown above and rusty-red beneath, the lower surface and whitish head being streaked with dark brown." A. H. Evans, 1900

Red Kite Resting on a Branch by a Body of Water

"Milvus milvus, the Red Kite or Forked Tail Glead of the Old World, ranging from the Atlantic Islands-except,…

"Elanoides forficatus. Swallow-tailed Kite. Adult: Head, neck, band on rump, and entire under parts, including lining of wings, snow-white; back, wings, and tail, glossy black, with various lustre, chiefly green and violet. Bill bluish-black; cere, edges of mandibles, and feet pale bluish, the latter tinged with greenish; claws light-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Swallow-tailed Kite

"Elanoides forficatus. Swallow-tailed Kite. Adult: Head, neck, band on rump, and entire under parts,…

Two Swallow-tail and One Mississippi Kite. "Ictinia subcaerulea. Mississippi Kite. General plumage plumbeous or dark ashy-gray, bleaching on the head and secondaries, blackening on the tail and wings, several primaries more (male) or less (female) suffused with chestnut-red on the inner web or on both webs. Forehead and tips of secondaries usually silvery-whitish; concealed white spots on the scapulars; bases of the head and under parts fleecy-white. Lores eyelids, and bill, including cere, black; gape of mouth and feet, orange, the latter obscures on the front tarsus, and along the tops of the toes; iris lake-red. Feet and cere drying to a nameless dingy color." And "Elanoides forficatus. Swallow-tailed Kite. Adult: Head, neck, band on rump, and entire under parts, including lining of wings, snow-white; back, wings, and tail, glossy black, with various lustre, chiefly green and violet. Bill bluish-black; cere, edges of mandibles, and feet pale bluish, the latter tinged with greenish; claws light-colored." Elliot Coues, 1884

Two Swallow-tail and One Mississippi Kites

Two Swallow-tail and One Mississippi Kite. "Ictinia subcaerulea. Mississippi Kite. General plumage plumbeous…

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go. (Figuier, 1869).

Merlin

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds inspire terror wherever they go, (Figuier, 1869).

Merlin

With sharp claws, penetrating vision, and enormous strength, it is easy to understand that these birds…

This bird lives on fish so is commonly found near water. Its nest is composed of sticks, seaweed, and grasses. Instead of feathers, its legs are covered with scales.

Osprey

This bird lives on fish so is commonly found near water. Its nest is composed of sticks, seaweed, and…

This bird lives on fish so is commonly found near water. Its nest is composed of sticks, seaweed, and grasses. Instead of feathers, its legs are covered with scales.

Osprey

This bird lives on fish so is commonly found near water. Its nest is composed of sticks, seaweed, and…

An Osprey catching a fish. "Pandion haliaetus. Fish Hawk. Osprey. Adult. dark vandyke- brown, blackening on the quills, the feathers of the upper parts more or less completely edged with white - the older the bird, the more conspicuous the white markings. Tail dark brown with dusky bars, white tip and shafts, and inner webs of all but the middle pair of feathers regularly barred with white and dark. Head, neck, and under parts white, the crown more or less extensively streaked with blackish, and a heavy blackish postocular stripe to the nape; the breast more or less spotted with dusky brown; the white more or less tinged with tawny in some places, especially under the wings and on the head. Coloration very variable in the relative amounts of the dark and white colors; young darker, the upper parts without the white crescents. Bill blackish, bluing at base and on cere; feet grayish-blue; claws black; iris yellow or red." Elliot Coues, 1884

Osprey

An Osprey catching a fish. "Pandion haliaetus. Fish Hawk. Osprey. Adult. dark vandyke- brown, blackening…

"The owl is one of the soberest -looking of animals", (Hooker, 1886).

Owl

"The owl is one of the soberest -looking of animals", (Hooker, 1886).

Owl, head only.

Owl

Owl, head only.

Owls are found on nearly every continent.

Owl

Owls are found on nearly every continent.

An adult owl being mobbed by a group of smaller birds. Mobbing occurs when smaller birds, in fear, will swarm in an attack other birds.

The Mobbing of an Owl

An adult owl being mobbed by a group of smaller birds. Mobbing occurs when smaller birds, in fear, will…

The barn owl is known to destroy rats and mice on farms,(Figuier, 1869).

Barn Owl

The barn owl is known to destroy rats and mice on farms,(Figuier, 1869).

"Strix nebulosa. Barred Owl. Hoot Owl. American Wood Owl. Toes fully feathered, nearly or quite to the claws, which are blackish; bill yellow; iris black. Of medium size in this genus. Markings of back and breast in cross-bars, of belly in lengthwise stripes. Above, umber-brown or liver-color, everywhere with white or tawny, or both; breast the same; on the belly the pattern changing abruptly to heavy dusky shaft-stripes on a white or tawny ground; crissum the same; feet speckled with dusky; wings and tail like the back or rather darker, regularly barred with gray, light brown or tawny, some of the bars usually making white spots at their ends, and the markings of the wing-coverts rather in spots than bars. Lining of wings tawny, with some dusky spotting. Facial disc set in a frame of black and white specks, with blackened eye-lids, and obscurely watered with lighter and darker colors in rings around the eye as a centre, the bristly feathers about the bill mixed black and white, or white at base, blackened terminally. A notably large and somewhat impressive owl of Eastern North America, common in woodland of the U.S. especially southerly; not known to range much north of the U.S. though occurring in parts of Canada, and not reported from the West, where apparently replaced by S. occidentalis." Elliot Coues, 1884

Barred Owl

"Strix nebulosa. Barred Owl. Hoot Owl. American Wood Owl. Toes fully feathered, nearly or quite to the…

"Speotyto cunicularia hypogae'a. Burrowing Owl. Adult: Above, dull grayish-brown, profusely spotted with whitish; the markings mostly rounded and paired on each feather, but anteriorly lengthened. Quills with 4-6 whitish bars, entire or broken into cross-rows of spots; tail-feathers similarly marked. There is much individual variation in the tone of the ground-color, and size and number of the spots, which may also be rather ochrey than whitish. Superciliary line, chin, and throat, white, the two latter separated by a dark brown jugular collar; auruculars brown; facial bristles black-shafted. Under parts white or pale ochrey, the breast, belly, and sides barred with traverse spots of brown, in a pretty regular manner; legs and under tail-coverts unmarked. Lining of wings tawny-white, dusky-spotted on the primary coverts." Elliot Coues, 1884

Burrowing Owl

"Speotyto cunicularia hypogae'a. Burrowing Owl. Adult: Above, dull grayish-brown, profusely spotted…

Horned owls are distinguished by two tufts or horns of feathers placed on each side of their head.

Great Horned Owl

Horned owls are distinguished by two tufts or horns of feathers placed on each side of their head.