Category Zoology

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!

The peregrine falcon is the world’s most widespread raptor and one of the most widely found bird species. Also known as the duck hawk, it is the most widely distributed species of bird of prey. Breeding populations of peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica and some oceanic islands.

The peregrine falcon also enjoys the reputation of being the fastest bird on Earth. It can fly at a speed of 300 km/h. In fact, it is the fastest of any living creature on Earth. According to the National Geographic, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h!

Peregrine falcons are formidable hunters; they can catch prey in the middle of a flight. Peregrines hunt from above and, after sighting their prey, drop into a steep, swift dive. Although its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, peregrines will occasionally hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. Sixteen sub-species of the peregrine are identified so far.

Saker falcons are patient while watching for prey; when the prey is spotted, they suddenly dive for the kill. Unlike the peregrine’s stoop from a height, Saker falcons hunt in horizontal pursuit. They feed on rodents and small birds. Their diet mostly consists of feral pigeons and ground squirrels.

The Saker falcon is a raptor of open grasslands. It has an exceptionally broad wingspan, ranging from 105-130 centimeters. A Saker falcon usually doesn’t build a nest. It lays eggs in an old nest in a tree which was previously used by other birds such as storks, ravens or buzzards.

Saker falcons are not very social animals. However, in places where food is plentiful, they nest close to one another. This bird is widely used in falconry.

The Philippine eagle is known as the monkey-eating eagle because people believed that this bird preyed on monkeys. Contrary to this popular belief, the Philippine eagle does not eat monkeys though it preys on a range of animals including rodents, bats, snakes, and pigs.

The Philippine eagle is endemic to the Philippines. This bird is recognized as the national bird of the country. It can be identified by its brown and white-coloured plumage and a shaggy crest. It is an apex predator and like many other predators, it is opportunistic. Its choice of food depends on availability and ease of catching prey.

Philippine eagles use two techniques to hunt- still hunting and perch hunting. They either watch for prey while sitting almost motionlessly on trees, or periodically gliding from one perch to another. The population of the Philippine eagle is declining due to loss of habitat and other human intervention. It is categorized as critically endangered by the IUCN.

Picture Credit : Google