What are raptors?

From the Latin, rapio rapui ratum: to seize, snatch, carry away.
(from Notre Dame’s Latin Dictionary)
Raptors are birds that prey on other animals, and also exhibit certain distinguishing physical traits, including:

• Hooked beak
• Sharp talons, used for catching prey
• Exceptional eye sight

These traits are important, because even songbirds like robins “prey” on insects. Raptors, on the other hand, hunt and capture their food with their feet. All of these are raptors:

• Hawks
• Eagles
• Falcons
• Kites
• Ospreys
• Owls
• Vultures

Not just for falconers
Do you ever wonder what the word “zygodactyl” means? Are you envious of your friends who can tell a black vulture from a turkey vulture, mid-flight? Why are owls so darn cute?

The answers to these questions, and more, lie within this Pathfinder, a guide to the various print and electronic resources available on the subject of raptors. Learning about these majestic creatures is fun and exciting. It can spice up one’s existing bird-watching habits, or foster such admirable habits in budding avian enthusiasts. But also, advancing raptor conservation awareness contributes to environmental conservation as a whole, creating a more environmentally conscious, better informed community. So go ahead! check it out!