Accipitridae
family of birds From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
The Accipitridae are one of the two major families in the order Accipitriformes (the diurnal birds of prey).
They are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills (beaks). They vary accordig to their diet. They feed on prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals. Some feed on carrion and a few feed on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on all the world's continents (except Antarctica) and a number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory.
Many well-known birds, such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group. The osprey is usually placed in a separate family (Pandionidae), as is the secretary bird. The New World vultures are now usually a separate family or order.
Remove ads
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads