Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Raptors, otherwise known as birds of prey, are a diverse group of birds including 326 diurnal species and 247 owls. The largest species, the Andean condor, can have a mass of up to 15 kg with a wingspan up to 3.40 m, while the smallest raptor is the black-thighed falconet, which has a minimum mass of about 28 g and lives in Indonesia. Almost all raptors have large talons and a hooked beak for eating meat; however, vultures do not have talons and palm-nut vultures that live in Africa consume a diet of mainly palm-nut fruit (90% in some regions), with some meat. Raptors live on every continent, except for Antarctica. Simon Potier, a professional falconer who also studies raptor vision, tells Journal of Experimental Biology about these extraordinary creatures and how they are exquisitely adapted to their different lifestyles.
Source: Journal of Experimental Biology
DOI: 10.1242/jeb.249467
Language: English
Topic: Avian ecology and behavior
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4402365131