Fact File

What is a raptor?

A raptor is more commonly known as a 'bird of prey'. The word raptor is derived from the latin word raptare which means 'to seize'.

Raptors are those birds which have:
strong, taloned feet for grasping and killing their prey, 
sharp hooked beaks for tearing flesh
and very keen eyesight.

What differentiates a raptor from other predatory birds, (maybe eating insects or fish), is that it catches its prey with its feet. South Africa is home to a fantastic diversity of raptor, from the tiny pygmy falcon (weighing just 60g) to the largest lappet-faced vulture with a wingspan of over 2.7 metres. All the 71 diurnal raptors fall into the Falconiforme order and the Strigiforme order includes the 12 owl species. All owls, eagles, vultures, falcons, hawks, kestrels, harriers, kites, buzzards and the odd-bird-out, the secretary bird are therefore raptors.

Incredible Journeys…

T he research ringing of birds help us to track their movements and find out more about how they live. This is especially important for migratory birds that fly literally across the world every year. The lesser-spotted eagle, for example, flies from eastern Europe and Asia to the south, eastern side of Africa. One female Lesser-spotted eagle # 27999 was caught and rung in Rostock (Germany), crossed out of Europe at the Suez canal and traveled nearly 10 000km to end her journey, four months later, in Maputo, Mozambique.  Lesser-spotted eagles can often be seen feeding off the ground and follow rain fronts in search of their termite prey.

Facing Extinction!

T he shaggy Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is a rare and endangered vulture that lives around the Drakensberg massif and foothills in South Africa and Lesotho. It is thought that there are approximately 400 birds left in the wild. Their white neck and underparts get stained a rust colour from the dust in the iron-oxide rich cliff ledges and streams. Bearded vultures feed on carrion and will often drop bones from great heights onto flat rocks to smash the larger bones into fragments and marrow, which they then swallow. These flat rocks, called ossuaries over time get littered with old bleached bones.

Feet First…

A ll birds of prey have four toes on each foot and hunt with their feet and talons. The shape and size of the foot varies, however, depending on the size of the bird and how they hunt their prey. All fish-hunting birds, like fish eagles, ospreys and fishing owls for example, have spicules under their feet for catching their slippery prey. Diurnal raptors have three forward facing toes on each foot and one hind toe. In owl species one of these forward facing toes is reversible and can move to join the hind toe facing backwards. Strangely enough the osprey also has this reversible toe as the owls do.

Owls: dressed to kill

A n owl's stealth is its hunting specialty. In the dead of night they hunt by listening for their prey as well as looking for it. An unsuspecting rodent normally does hear a thing until it is too late.  The silent flight of the owl is enabled by some simple, but, effective adaptations. The leading edge of their wings is serrated so as they flap their wings in flight they silently comb the air. The upper surface of their wings is also of a velvet texture cushioning sound.  Owls also have low wing loading therefore increasing their ability to glide and decreasing the need to flap.

Mechanical Mimicry
The brilliant anatomist, Leonardo da Vinci drew on his knowledge of bird wings to design machines that would imitate their flight. He replaced bones with wood, tendons with ropes, and feathers with sailcloth. As far as is known none of these devices ever got beyond the drawing board. They would have been far too heavy to fly.