Discovering the Diverse World of Australian Raptors

What is a Raptor or Bird of Prey?

A raptor is defined as “a bird (such as an eagle or hawk) that kills and eats other animals for food”. Birds of prey use their keen eyesight, curving beaks and strong talons to hunt living prey. Also known as raptors, they include species such as eagles, falcons, hawks, harriers and owls. A good tip to identify a bird as a raptor is to look at its wingtips in flight, as the feathers are often divided into ‘fingers’.

Eastern Osprey

Pacific Baza or Crested Hawk

Black-Shouldered Kite

1. Eastern Osprey

Australian Eastern ospreys are coastal raptors and feed almost exclusively on fish. Smaller than the sea eagles, they have straight tails, grey underparts and dark brown wings and backs, with dappled brown chest feathers and a narrow brown mask running back from the eye.

Ospreys tend to breed on clifftops, or other high points such as power posts or light towers, in large nests that are used year after year. They can be difficult to spot when they are hunting, as they skim low over the water.

2. Pacific Baza or Crested Hawk

3. Black-Shouldered Kite

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