Birds of Prey: English Vocabulary List

a type of bird with a round face, large eyes and a loud call that hunts smaller animals mainly during the night

"The owl is quiet."

"An owl watched from the tree during the night."

a medium-sized bird of prey with wide rounded wings that can fly very fast and take the prey by surprise

"The hawk circles high above the field searching for movement."

"The hawk circles high overhead using its exceptional eyesight to spot small prey on the ground."

a predatory fast-flying bird that can be trained for hunting

"The falcon soared above."

"The falcon dove from the sky at incredible speed striking its prey before the victim could react."

a large European bird of prey of the hawk family that is known for soaring the sky in circles

"Buzzards soar on thermal currents without flapping their wings."

"The buzzard soars on thermal updrafts scanning the ground below for dead animals to scavenge."

a small bird of prey of the falcon family that is found in the northern hemisphere and feeds on small birds

"The merlin is a small but fierce falcon that hunts other birds."

"The merlin is a small fierce falcon that hunts other birds in fast low level flights."

a medium-sized bird of prey of the hawk family that flies low over the ground for hunting

"The harrier glides low over the marsh listening for prey."

"The harrier glides low over marshes listening for the sounds of small mammals in the grass."

a small bird of prey of the falcon family that hovers mid-air while searching for food

"The kestrel hovered in the air."

"The kestrel hovers in midair facing into the wind while searching for voles and mice below."

a large American bird of the vulture family with black plumage and a white bare neck that lives in mountains

"The Andean condor has one of the longest wingspans of any bird."

"The condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world with an enormous wingspan."

a large bird of prey of the hawk family that feeds on fish and has long wings

"The osprey plunges feet first into the water to catch fish."

"The osprey catches fish by diving feet first into the water from heights of up to one hundred feet."

a large bird of prey with a bare head, a long neck and weak claws that is famous for scavenging

"The vulture circled overhead."

"The vulture patiently waited for its next meal to appear on the savanna."

a large bird of prey originally from North America with white feathers on its head, neck and tail

"The bald eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird."

"The bald eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird sometimes weighing over two tons."

a large North American bird of prey of the eagle family with golden feathers on its neck that lives in mountains

"Golden eagles hunt rabbits and hares in mountainous areas."

"The golden eagle hunts rabbits and hares by pursuing them at high speeds across open terrain."

a large, powerful bird of prey found in Central and South America, with a distinctive crest of feathers on its head

"The harpy eagle captures monkeys and sloths from the canopy."

"The harpy eagle is one of the most powerful raptors capable of catching monkeys and sloths."

a medium-large bird of prey of the hawk family with a long tail and short wings

"The goshawk has long tail."

"The medium-large goshawk, a bird of prey, soared through the sky with its long tail providing excellent maneuverability."

a grayish white bird of prey of the falcon family that inhabits mountains and coastal cliffs and can be trained for hunting

"The peregrine falcon dives at incredible speeds to strike prey."

"The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth reaching speeds over two hundred miles per hour."

an owl with a heart-shaped face and long legs that nests in tree holes and farm buildings

"The barn owl flies silently thanks to its soft feather edges."

"The barn owl has heart shaped face that helps it funnel sound to its exceptionally sensitive ears."

a very large Eurasian owl with two feathers that stick out near its ears, also known as horned owl

"The eagle owl has bright orange eyes and prominent ear tufts."

"The eagle owl is one of the largest owl species and can take prey as large as young foxes."

a large white owl with yellow eyes that hunts during the day and lives in Arctic regions

"The snowy owl is white."

"The snowy owl's white feathers provide excellent camouflage against Arctic snow during the long winter."