The birds of prey have a hooked, curved beak, at the base of which
are the nostrils, surrounded by cere skin. They live chiefly upon
warm-blooded animals, which they seize with their claws and tear in
pieces with their beak. There are more than five hundred varieties,
which are separated into day and night birds of prey.
Eagles, falcons, hawks, harriers, buzzards, and the like are adapted
for the pursuit of prey not only by possession of strong, hooked
beaks, powerful talons, and keen powers of vision, but also by the
swiftness of their flight. Many of them--for example, falcons--are
able to poise themselves, apparently motionless, in the air till
some such prey as a young rabbit or small bird is discovered, and
then swoop down upon the victim with almost incredible rapidity.
=Condor= (_Sarcorhamphus condor_).--Largest of vultures, averaging nine
feet wing expanse, lives among the peaks of the Andes but descends for
food. Its feet are not adapted for grasping, and it cannot truly perch
nor carry objects when flying; it sleeps soundly, can be lassoed at
night and kills small quadrupeds, besides feeding on carrion. The condor
lays two white eggs four inches long, on bare rock, hatched in seven
weeks. The young are brown and a year old before they can fly. The male
is black with white ruff, has wing bars and tip of bill; wattles are
present on the head and breast. The female lacks comb, wattles, and has
less white. The young do not acquire full plumage for six years. The
condor depends more on sight than smell in finding food.
=Eagle= (_Aquila_) is a name given to many birds of prey in the Falcon
family. The golden eagle, the white-headed eagle, and the sea-eagles are
characteristic examples. The falcon family includes over three hundred
predacious birds, feeding for the most part on living animals, hunting
by day, and living usually on exposed rocky places. The bill is
powerful, but rather short, high at the root, and slightly curved; the
partition between the nostrils is complete; the upper margin of the
eye-socket projects; the head and neck are feathered; the soles of the
feet bear large callosities.
Representatives of this noble genus are found in all parts of the world
except the neotropical and Australian regions.
The GOLDEN EAGLE is a large and magnificent bird. The predominant color
is dark, tawny brown, but the back of the head and neck are more tawny
and look golden in the sunlight. The young birds have tails of a
brighter color. The adult female measures about three feet in length;
the male is rather less both in length of body and wing. The golden
eagles have their homes in remote rocky regions, but often wander far in
search of booty. They prey upon numerous mammals and birds, but are
rarely willing to run any great risks in so doing. The nest, usually
upon a rocky ledge, is large and roughly made. There are most commonly
two eggs. Though a strong and majestic bird, it cannot be credited with
much bravery. The occasional cry is loud and shrill, but with some
hoarseness. The species is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North
America.
The crested eagles are found in parts of both hemispheres, and are in
some species distinguished by tufts of feathers on the back of the head.
The harrier-eagle is an Old-World bird represented in Europe, north
Africa, and western Asia. The fishing eagle or fish-hawk is an almost
cosmopolitan bird, with markedly piscivorous diet. The bald eagle has
the tarsus feathered only halfway to toes; with white head and tail
after third year. Its length is about 36 inches. The bald eagle is the
emblem of the United States, feeds on fish, sometimes secured by robbing
the osprey and sometimes found as carrion.
EAGLES AS EMBLEMS.--In the arms of the present German empire an eagle
(with one head) sustains on its breast a shield containing the arms of
Prussia. Austria has preserved the double-headed eagle of the earlier
German empire. Russia assumed in 1472 the double-headed eagle under Ivan
III. to signify that the czar sprang from the Greek emperors, who had
borne it as a symbol since the partition of the Roman empire. A white
crowned eagle in a red field was the shield of the kingdom of Poland.
The arms adopted by the United States consist of a dark-brown eagle with
outspread wings, having in one of its talons a bundle of arrows, in the
other an olive branch, bearing on its breast a shield whose upper part
is blue and under part silver, and crossed by six red vertical bars. In
its beak it holds a band with the inscription _E. pluribus unum_,
surmounted by thirteen stars, the original number of states.
=Falcons= (_Falco_) are birds of medium or small size, having short,
strong beak, with a sharp hook at tip and a strong tooth on each side of
upper mandible; legs short and strong, middle toe long, claws much
curved and sharp, tail short and stiff, wings long and pointed. There
are about fifty species, some known as hawks. True falcons, in hunting
prey rise high in air above and swoop down. Hawks chase the prey near
the ground. The most common falcon is dark-bluish above and white below
with bars; the young are brownish above and streaked below. The largest
falcon is found in the Scandinavian Mountains. Among small falcons are
the sparrow-hawk of the United States and the kestrel of Europe. They
feed on mice and insects. Most falcons prey upon birds, attacking some
even larger than themselves. They, at one time, were trained for hunting
the heron, sparrow, etc., in the sport known as falconry.
=Hawks= have the upper mandible not toothed, and the wings short,
rounded, and concave below. They do not easily soar or glide.
HENHAWKS comprise chiefly the rough-legged hawk and the red-shouldered
hawk. The first rarely, and the second never, takes chickens; they prey
rather on noxious insects, mice, etc. The sharp-shinned hawk, length
twelve inches, and Cooper’s hawk, eighteen inches, are rufous on breast
and dusky above, with dark bars on the tail. These useful buzzards last
mentioned should be protected.
GOSHAWKS (_Astur palumbarius_) is found in almost all parts of Europe.
It generally inhabits thick woods in the neighborhood of fields and
meadows, and builds its nest on the topmost boughs of a lofty tree.
[Illustration: The ostrich is a strong runner and a swift racer. It has
been known to equal the speed of a train going at the rate of sixty
miles an hour. Though frequently used for driving, it is not easily
managed.]
[Illustration]
This unsociable bird is as swift and wild as it is shy and cunning. It
can be easily recognized at a distance by its long tail and short wings.
When hunting for prey it flies, as a rule, along the edges of woods and
thickets, and is active almost the whole of the day. Flying, resting,
swimming, or running, it seizes its prey with equal dexterity. Its great
swiftness and adroitness render the goshawk a formidable opponent. It
appears suddenly among the unsuspecting birds, and, before they can
escape, one lies bleeding under the claws of the bold robber. It follows
its prey into inhabited houses, and sometimes flies through the windows.
The goshawk carries off poultry, and also steals game. It also destroys
a great number of our most useful insect-devouring birds.
SPARROW HAWK (_Nisus communis_) resembles the goshawk both in form and
habits, and is a true copy of its bigger cousin.
=Osprey= or FISHING HAWK (_Haliætus albicilla_) is often mistaken for
the golden eagle. The latter, however, can be easily recognized by its
feathered legs. The osprey is widely distributed in the United States
along the Atlantic coast, and is found all over Europe. It has its nest
on the summits of inaccessible rocks and cliffs along the coasts, or in
the top of a high tree, and rarely among the reeds. The osprey is a lazy
but obstinate and dangerous robber, attacking all animals which it is
able to overcome. Like the bald eagle, it catches fish; but it also
feeds upon carrion.
=Owls= (_Strigidæ_) include more than one hundred species, all of which
belong to two families. The Java owl, which ranges from the eastern
Himalayas to Burma, Ceylon, Java and Borneo in itself constitutes the
second of these families. They have large eyes, looking forward,
encircled by stiff feathers, and with vertical pupil. Most are nocturnal
and see poorly by day, but the Hawk Owl, and Snowy Owl of arctic
regions, feed by day. Their food consists of rodents, insects, birds,
vermin, and fish. The Great Horned Owl (_Bubo virginianus_) attains a
weight of eight pounds, and attacks poultry. Owls hear well; some have a
well developed feathered external ear. The long ears by which the horned
owl is known, refers to the horns of feathers, developed above the eyes.
Owls fly noiselessly, owing to their soft plumage. The feet are usually
feathered; the outer toe is reversible, and in the Fishing Owl the toes
are osprey-like. The female is the larger. The size ranges from six
inches in the Pygmy Owl of the tropical forests, to thirty inches in the
Great Grey Owl of the northern regions. Reddish brown is predominant,
but dark and light colors may be exhibited by a single brood. The eggs
are spherical and pure white. Some species breed before the snow has
gone, and their eggs hatch a few at a time. The Snowy Little Owl of
Europe, is the symbol of learning. The Burrowing Owl lives in the
burrows of prairie dogs in America, on whose young it feeds, in part
while rattle-snakes associate with both as a common enemy.
[Illustration: The Peacock excels all other birds in the beauty of its
plumage, the colors of which are usually both gorgeous and varied. The
above bird is pure white, and very rarely seen in the United States.]
[Illustration]
The =White= or BARN OWL (_Strix flammea_) always lives in the
neighborhood of man, building its nest in sheds, church-towers, old
ruins, and also in pigeon-houses. It sleeps during the day. At night it
flies through the gardens and fields, catching all kinds of mice,
insects, and young birds. The nest is carelessly built, and in the
spring contains from six to nine white, oval eggs.
=Vultures= (_Vulturinæ_) are large carrion-eating birds of prey. Those
of the Old World differ from those in the New in several particulars;
thus, the hind toe of the former is on the level with the other toes;
the partition between the nostrils is not perforated as in American
vultures; and they carry food to their young in their claws and not in
their beaks. The chief of the American vultures are the Condor, Turkey
Buzzard, Carrion-crow, or Black Vulture, and the King Vulture, which
haunts jungles from Mexico to Paraguay, and is white, with the long tail
and wing-feathers black, the head lemon and scarlet. Examples of the Old
World vultures are the Bearded Vulture or Lammergeyer (_Gypaetus
barbatus_), the largest bird of prey of Europe. It was formerly often
seen in the Alps and Pyrenees; but is now, at least in the Swiss and
Bavarian Alps, almost exterminated. It is a bold and dangerous robber,
not only waylaying hares and roes, but also sheep and chamois; children
even, have been attacked by this bird.
The Egyptian or White Vultures are known as Pharaoh’s Chickens. The
crested Black Vulture ranges from China through North Africa. It builds
large nests in trees on mountain-tops, where it rears a single young.
The Griffon is black, with white tail and wing feathers. Vultures find
their food by sight.