Category Nature Science & Wildlife

The Harpy eagle grows up to a size of more than a meter and weighs around nine kilograms. Its talons are longer than a bear’s claws, and it has such a powerful grasp, that it could break a man’s arm or even pierce through his skull if it wanted to.

Usually found in the tropical regions, the Harpy eagle is now a rare sight due to massive loss of habitat. It is also hunted frequently on account of its huge size; this too has affected its numbers.

Harpy eagles are efficient predators. They feed mostly on monkeys, sloths, and large birds such as macaws. Iguanas and boas are also taken on occasion. They have an eye on domestic livestock as well, preying frequently on chicken, lambs, goats and pigs.

The Harpy eagle is the national bird of Panama.

Picture Credit : Google

The crowned eagle is found in sub-Saharan Africa and is one of the most powerful raptors. This bird can kill animals weighing up to 20 kilograms. Its long hind talon helps it break the prey’s spine.

The head of a crowned eagle is almost triangular in appearance. It has a double crest of brown and black feathers. It is usually found waiting on a branch near a water body, looking for an opportunity to swoop down on the prey.

Crowned eagles hunt monkeys. While hunting monkeys, they fly over the forest canopy until a troop of monkeys can be heard. They hunt in pairs; the male flies high and calls out to get the attention of monkeys in the trees below while the female skims the treetops and grab a confused monkey. These birds usually prefer to eat in the safety of cover.

Picture Credit : Google

Distinguished by its long legs and a dramatic black crest, the secretary bird lives in Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and shrubs. It is four feet tall and flies only when necessary. Two black tail feathers protrude from its grey plumage. Its head is usually bare and is yellow or orange in colour. It moves around on foot and has thick scales which protect it from snake bite.

The secretary bird preys on insects such as locusts and beetles, mammals ranging in size from mice to hares and mongoose, crabs, lizards, snakes, tortoises, and small birds. It does not hesitate to feast on bird eggs, and sometimes dead animals killed in grass or bush fires. It generally swallows its prey as a whole.

Though the populations of secretary birds are spread across a large area, their numbers are generally declining. This bird is therefore classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.

The osprey is commonly known as fish hawk. Ospreys are excellent fishers. Almost 99 per cent of their diet consists of fish. No wonder, they are always seen near water bodies like rivers, ponds and coastal waters.

They typically catch fish that weigh up to 300 grams. They can even catch a fish that weighs around two kilograms! They occasionally feed on rodents, rabbits and other small birds.

It is interesting to watch an osprey catch fish. It hunts by diving to the water’s surface from some 9 to 30 meters up. Its vision is well adapted to detect underwater objects from the air.

An osprey can sight the prey 10-40 m above the water, after which the bird hovers momentarily and then plunges feet first into the water. It plucks fish from the water with curved claws and carries it some distance.

It is interesting to note that the osprey is used as a brand name for various products and sports teams.

Picture Credit : Google

Except for isolated populations in Central Asian highlands, the gyrfalcon is found mostly in the Arctic region. It has a fully feathered leg and the plumage varies from pure white with black speckling to dark grey. They usually reach a size of more than half a meter. Female gyrfalcons are often double the weight of male gyrfalcons.

Gyrfalcons hunt by fast flight low over the ground. They usually hunt in a horizontal pursuit and do not normally stoop swiftly from heights. Most of their preys are killed on the ground, whether they are taken during flight, or captured on the ground. A large portion of their diet consists of ptarmigan and waterfowl. They occasionally feed on fish and other mammals as well.

Gyrfalcons are used widely in falconry. These birds are generally silent, but whenever they get excited, they are loud.

It is easy to distinguish a Brahminy kite from other birds of prey; adults have a reddish-brown body plumage contrasting with their white head and breast. Also known as the red-backed sea-eagle, the Brahminy kite is a bird of prey found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands.

This kite is a familiar sight in the skies of Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia and as far south as Australia. Brahminy kites usually prey on fish and insects. They often steal food from other birds, such as gulls, terns, ibis and other raptors. They also often scavenge carrion on the ground like many others in their family. They also take advantage of schools of Irrawaddy dolphins that bring fish to the surface.

Brahminy kites roost communally on large and isolated trees and as many as 600 have been seen at one location!