Stella and Rose's Books Logo

Stella & Rose's Books

Specialists in Rare & Collectable Books

The Rapture of Raptors

Birds of Prey, also known as Raptors, are a group of birds that includes hawks, owls, eagles, vultures, falcons and more.

If, when you think of Big Birds, you can only imagine one that is yellow and from Sesame Street, you need to read on…!

Falcons by Richard SaleThe Barn Owl by Colin ShawyerBritish Birds of Prey by Leslie H. Brown

Raptors play an important ecological role in the natural habitat by keeping the prey populations under control.

There are over 560 species of raptors worldwide and are found on every continent except Antarctica.

They range from the Andean Condor, the largest, with a wingspan of 3 metres and weighing up to 15 kilos to the Elf Owl, the smallest, with a wingspan of 26.5 centimetres and weighing up to 40 grams.

They are fast, strong and have sharp eyesight and sharp talons!  They hunt live prey in the main, but vultures and condors clean up the landscape by eating carrion.

Raptors by John HendersonA Natural History of Owls by Michael EverettPeregrine by Emma Ford

Some interesting facts…

Did you know raptors have a ratchet mechanism in the tendons of their toes, so they can carry prey long distances without using the energy in their muscles?

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on earth when in a stoop, reaching speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour!

Most raptors are solo hunters except for Harris Hawk which is notable for its behavior of hunting cooperatively in packs.  They are known as ‘Wolves of the Sky’ in their native countries.

The Gyrfalcon is one of the largest falcons and is known to reuse nesting sites, some of which have been found to be over 2,500 years old.

The more I read about these magnificent birds the more I want to know. If you want to know more, at the time of writing we have many books on birds of prey in stock for you to browse.

Eagles Hawks and Falcons of Australia by David HollandsPopulation Ecology of Raptors by Ian NewtonRaptors in the Modern World by Meyburg & Chancellor

Contributed by Theresa

(Published 30th Jun 2022)

Related Stock