Birds of Prey Coloring Pages
Birds of prey are hunters with hooked beaks, sharp curved talons and some of the best eyesight in the animal world. Their other name, raptor, comes from a Latin word that means "to grab," which is exactly what those big feet are for!
Raptor Families
Eagles
An eagle can spot a rabbit from more than three kilometres away. That's where the saying "eagle-eyed" comes from, and it's why people with sharp eyes for detail get called it too.
Falcons
When a peregrine falcon dives, it can hit more than 300 kilometres an hour, faster than any other animal on Earth. Little bumps inside its nostrils slow the rushing air down so it can still breathe at that speed.
Hawks
In movies, when a bald eagle opens its beak, that fierce scream you hear usually belongs to a red-tailed hawk. Real bald eagles sound more like a squeaky little giggle.
Ospreys
An osprey dives feet first into the water to grab a fish. Then it turns the fish so it faces forward and carries it head first, like a little torpedo, so it cuts through the wind on the flight home.
Owls
Great horned owls are one of the very few animals that will happily eat a skunk. Their sense of smell is so weak that the stink doesn't bother them one bit.
Vultures
A vulture's bald head isn't a bad hair day. Vultures eat by poking their heads right inside their dinner, and bare skin is much easier to keep clean than feathers. A quick sunbath afterwards dries everything off.
Condor
(part of the Vulture family)
Mythological Raptors
The Roc is a giant bird of prey from old Arabian stories, and it's the biggest raptor anyone ever dreamed up. It was said to be strong enough to carry off an elephant in its talons, with feathers as long as palm fronds. Sailors who spotted one overhead knew to steer well clear!
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