Bird of prey

Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators have keen eyesight for detecting prey from a distance or during flight, strong feet with sharp talons for grasping or killing prey, and powerful, curved beaks for tearing off flesh. Although predatory birds primarily hunt live prey, many species (such as fish eagles, vultures and condors) also scavenge and eat carrion. Although the term "bird of prey" could theoretically be taken to include all birds that actively hunt and eat other animals, ornithologists typically use the narrower definition followed in this page, excluding both piscivorous predators such as storks, herons, gulls, skuas, penguins and kingfishers, as well as primarily insectivorous birds such as passerine birds (e.g. shrikes) and birds like nightjars and frogmouths. Some extinct predatory birds had talons similar to those of modern birds of prey, including mousebird relatives (Sandcoleidae), Messelasturidae and some Enantiornithes, indicating possible convergent evolution. The term raptor is derived from the Latin word rapio, meaning "to seize or take by force". The common names for various birds of prey are based on structure, but many of the traditional names do not reflect the evolutionary relationships between the groups. Eagles tend to be large, powerful birds with long, broad wings and massive feet. Booted eagles have legs and feet feathered to the toes and build very large stick nests. Falcons and kestrels are medium-size birds of prey with long pointed wings, and many are particularly swift flyers. They belong to the family Falconidae, only distantly related to the Accipitriformes above. Caracaras are a distinct subgroup of the Falconidae unique to the New World, and most common in the Neotropics – their broad wings, naked faces and appetites of a generalist suggest some level of convergence with either Buteo or the vulturine birds, or both.

DRONE GAME THAT HIGHLIGHTS ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF DESIGN DECISIONS

Siara Ruth Isaac, Barbara Bruno, Gianni Lodetti

This paper reports on the development of a brief scenario-based challenge to prompt engineering students’ reflection about the broader impacts of their design decisions, and thereby increase their ethical sensitivity and motivation. The game scenario asks ...

CDIO conference proceedings2023

Diurnal evolution of negative atmospheric ions above the boreal forest: from ground level to the free troposphere

Lubna Dada

At SMEAR II research station in Hyytiala, located in the Finnish boreal forest, the process of new particle formation and the role of ions has been investigated for almost 20 years near the ground and at canopy level. However, above SMEAR II, the vertical ...

COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH2022

Accurate and agile flight with winged drones

DRONE GAME THAT HIGHLIGHTS ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF DESIGN DECISIONS

Diurnal evolution of negative atmospheric ions above the boreal forest: from ground level to the free troposphere

Accurate and agile flight with winged drones

Diurnal evolution of negative atmospheric ions above the boreal forest: from ground level to the free troposphere

DRONE GAME THAT HIGHLIGHTS ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF DESIGN DECISIONS