Picture

Species

Length

Wingspan

Weight

Eggs

Distribution
& Bird Fact

Conservation Status

African Fish Eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer

The African Fish Eagle is a very vocal bird, it can often be heard in the background of documentaries from Africa. They fish for less than 10 minutes per day when not rearing young.

African Spotted Eagle Owl

Bubo africanus

The Spotted Eagle Owl is the smallest species of Eagle Owl. They are very agile flyers and some have learnt to catch bats, which congregate around street lights to feed on insects.

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

The American Kestrel is the second smallest Falco species in the world. The smallest is the Seychelles Kestrel.

Asian Brown Wood Owl

Strix leptogrammica

The Brown Wood Owl is related to our native Tawny Owl. They are nocturnal, very elusive, and difficult to study.

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The Bald Eagle is the emblem of the United States of America. It takes them 5 years to develop their distinctive white head and tail.

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

The Barn Owl has suffered from pesticide use, barn conversions and especially road traffic collisions. Conservation efforts have helped improve their numbers in the last 20 years.

Bateleur Eagle

Terathopius ecaudatus

“Bateleur” is a medieval French word meaning “tightrope walker” or “acrobat”. When a Bateleur soars, it rocks its wings from side to side as if doing a balancing act.

Bengal Eagle Owl

Bubo bengalensis

The Bengal or Indian Eagle Owl has been separated from the European Eagle Owl by DNA studies. They lay their eggs on the ground, usually on a rock ledge but sometimes under bushes or between rocks.

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

The Black Vulture’s scientific name, Coragyps atratus, roughly translates as “Crow-like vulture, clothed in black”.

Chaco Owl

Strix chacoensis

The Chaco Owl is the South American equivalent of our native Tawny Owl. “Chaco” is a province of Argentina.

Chilean Blue Buzzard Eagle

Geranoaetus melanoleucus

This species is also known as the Black-Chested, Black or Grey Buzzard-eagle or Eagle-buzzard, or the Black-chested Eagle.

Common Buzzard

Buteo buteo

The Common Buzzard has increased following a decline in the 1950s and 60s due to myxomatosis in rabbits and persecution. It is now the commonest raptor in the UK.

Common Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

The Kestrel is known for hovering. It is one of a few species of birds of prey where there is a difference in colouration between the male and female – the male has a grey head and tail.

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

The Crested Caracara is a great scavenger and is very intelligent. In some areas they have learnt to follow trains and cars for food thrown out by people.

Eurasian Griffon Vulture

Gyps fulvus

Eurasian Griffon Vultures were made extinct in the UK at some point before the 1600s, but one vagrant did briefly appear on the Channel Island of Guernsey in 2000.

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

The Golden Eagle is the second largest bird of prey in the UK, the biggest being the White-Tailed Sea Eagle.

Harris Hawk

Parabuteo unicinctus

This is the only species of raptor that cooperatively hunts. Groups of up to six birds have been seen working together. They are very commonly kept in the UK for falconry and display work.

Little Owl

Athene noctua

The Little Owl is the smallest species of owl in the UK. They were not a native bird; it was introduced to the UK in the 1880’s.

Long-Eared Owl

Asio otus

The Long-Eared Owl is the fifth most common of the six species of owl native to the UK.

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

The name “Goshawk” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word gōshafoc, literally meaning “goose hawk”. However, the Goshawk rarely preys on geese, usually hunting rabbits, pheasants, partridge and smaller waterfowl instead.

Northern Hawk Owl

Surnia ulula

The Hawk Owl gets its name from its similar appearance to a hawk, particularly its long tail, which makes it a very agile flyer, especially through woodlands and forests.

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine is the fastest recorded flying bird, reaching speeds in the stoop (vertical dive) in excess of 200mph.

Raven

Corvus corax

The Raven is the largest member of the corvid (crow) family and is thought to be one of the most intelligent species of bird.

Red Kite

Milvus milvus

Red Kites were persecuted to near-extinction in the UK, but their numbers are now increasing following reintroduction in several areas and conservation efforts.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

The Red-Tailed Hawk is the American version of the UK’s Common Buzzard. They nest on skyscraper ledges in urban areas, including New York.

Ruppell's Griffon Vulture

Gyps ruppelli

The Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture can eat up to 1.5kg (3lbs) of meat in one sitting. They are at risk from electrocution from power lines, poisoned carcasses and deliberate shootings. They are also killed for traditional medicine.

Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

The Saker is the species used in the Arab Emirates for falconry. The word Saker comes from the Arabic “Saqr”, meaning “falcon”.

Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

The Snowy Owl breeds in relation to its food supply which fluctuates each year. In food abundance years there will be many young but in low years a pair will not breed and will move to another area.

Spectacled Owl

Pulsatrix perspicillata

The Spectacled Owl can take over 18 months to get its adult plumage; juveniles have white heads until they are around 2 years old.

Steller's Sea Eagle

Haliaeetus pelagicus

The Steller’s Sea Eagle is a protected species and classed as a “National Treasure” in Japan. It is under threat from pollution, loss of habitat and over-fishing, which deprives them of their main food source.

Steppe Eagle

Aquila nipalensis

The Steppe Eagle is not as powerful as its cousin, the Golden Eagle. A large proportion of their winter diet in Africa is termites.

Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

During its first year, the immature Tawny Eagle’s plumage is much paler than the adults, often whitish, especially on the underparts.

Tawny Owl

Strix aluco

The Tawny Owl is the most common species of owl in the UK. This is the species you may hear hooting at night with its distinctive “tu-whit, tu-woo” call.

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

The Turkey Vulture is one of the few birds that has been proven to have a sense of smell; it can detect the scent of rotting meat to help it find food.

Turkmenian Eagle Owl

Bubo bubo turcomanus

The Turkmenian Eagle Owl is a sub-species of the larger and darker European Eagle Owl. There are about 14 different species all known collectively as the Eurasian Eagle Owl species.

Western Screech Owl

Megascops kennicottii

Western Screech-Owls in the Pacific Northwest tend to be more rufous (reddish-brown) than in other parts of their range; birds of the Desert Southwest tend to be greyer in colour.