RAPTORS of Australasia
Raptors are carnivorous. They hunt by sight during the day, are long lived, and have low reproductive rates. The catch their prey via strong claws – three pointing forward and one pointing backward.
The raptors that hunt by day are: hawks, eagle, buzzards, harriers, kites, vultures, falcons, caracaras. Owls hunt by night. Raptors are also called birds of prey.
Falcons and Allies
Order Falconiformes Family Falconidae
The order Falconiformes once was considered to contain the hawk, eagles, vultures,and their allies. DNA evidence indicates the orders should be separate. Falconiformes now contains just one family, Falconidae.
The Falconidae family contains the falcons, kestrels, caracaras. These are small to medium sized diurnal raptors. They differ from the hawks and their allies by the way they kill their prey. They use their beaks instead of their feet.
Genus Falco
Falcon, Brown Falco berigora Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Benjamint444 3) Jiron - Victoria, Australia 4) Arthur Chapman
Falcon, New Zealand Falco novaeseelandiae Endemic to New Zealand.
Photographed by: 1) Avenue 2) Karora 3) Dick Daniels - Kiwi Wildlife Park, New Zealand
Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus Found: Almost everywhere
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Eagle Encoumters, South Africa 2) Dick - Eagle Encoumters
3) Dick - Sunset Beach, North Carolina 4, 5, 6) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center 7) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
Hobby, Australian Falco longipennis Found: Australasia
Photographed by: 1, 4) David Cook 2, 3) Aviceda
Kestrel, Australian aka Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Benjamint444 2) Mugley - Melboure, Australia 3) Brett Donald 4) David Cook - Wamboin, NSW, Australia
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.