Photo: US Fish and Wildlife

CHARACTERISTICS
A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts for food primarily using its talons (claws) rather than its beak. They have a hooked beak which is used to cut and tear meat. Most birds of prey will catch their prey live or scavenge for dead animals (carrion). Another distinguishing feature of these birds is their exceptional vision. Their very large, front facing eyes enable them to spot small prey from several feet in the air.

There are about 500 species of raptor worldwide separated into eight types, including: eagles, kites, falcons, owls, harriers, hawks and buzzards.

• Eagles: Large birds with long, broad wings and massive legs; build large stick nests
• Kites: Long-winged birds with weak legs; most of the time spent soaring and feeding on carrion
• Falcons: Small to medium birds with long pointed wings; swift flyers and use old nests of other birds.
• Owls: Variable-sized nocturnal bird; soundless flight and have acute senses of hearing and sight
• Harrier: Large, slender bird with long tails and long thin legs; hung by gliding on their long broad wings.
• Hawks: Medium-sized birds with long tails; woodland birds that hunt by dashing for perches.
• Buzzard: Large strong-bodied birds with broad wings.

Photo: US Fish and Wildlife

FLORIDA'S BALD EAGLES
The bald eagle is one of the largest birds in North America and is a native to this continent. Florida has the largest population of bald eagles in the entire country except for Alaska. There are an estimated 1,200 nesting pairs in Florida, usually found in the Central Florida area. In the 1950s these animals faced a drastic decline in number due to the use of DDT. Only about 415 nesting pairs remained in the lower 48 states, with the majority being in Florida.

In the 1960s they became federally protected and have increased their numbers dramatically. A major contributor to their success has been the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland, Florida. The Center has had a direct impact on 33% of Florida ’s current eagle population either through direct rehabilitation or through the offspring of birds treated and released by the Center. The Center is also affiliated with a program called Eagle Watch which observes the current eagle population and helps to lessen the impact of habitat destruction and the expanding urban environment on these animals.

Resources for this article have been provided by Wikipedia and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service.