Which birds are called “birds of prey”?

Raptors, often known as birds of prey, are birds that primarily hunt and eat on huge animals in contrast to the hunter. They also have good eyesight for locating food from a distance or while flying, powerful feet with talons for capturing or killing prey, and sharp, curved beaks for shredding flesh. Raptor is derived from the Latin word rapio, which means to forcefully seize or take. Carrion is consumed by many birds, including fish eagles, vultures, and condors, in addition to live prey.

While the term "bird of prey" might potentially refer to any bird that predominantly feeds on animals, ornithologists often use the more precise definition described in this article. Birds of prey not covered by the ornithological description include storks, herons, gulls, phorusrhacids, skuas, penguins, kookaburras, and shrikes, as well as numerous insectivorous songbirds. Some ancient predatory birds, such as mousebird cousins (Sandcoleidae), Messelasturidae, and some Enantiornithes, possessed talons that resembled those of present birds of prey, suggesting that they may have shared similar behaviors.