Birds of Prey: Glossary

A

amphibians

Cold-blooded animals with smooth skin - salamanders, newts, frogs, toads

asymmetric

Not the same on each side of the body

atmospheric pollution

Pollution of the air

aves

the Latin word for birds; a special class of vertebrates

B

binocular vision

seeing only one object at a time; both eyes focus on the same object

bird of prey

a carnivorous bird (hawk, falcon, eagle, etc.) that kills and eats small mammals and other birds

botulism

Poisoning from spoiled food

C

carnivore

Meat eater

carrion

decaying flesh of a dead body

cere

fleshy area above the beak, where the nostrils of most birds are located

cold-blooded

animals that can only control their body temperatures by moving into warmer or cooler areas

concave

Wings that are flat or slightly curved on the bottom

cones

Cells of the eye sensitive to color

conserving energy

To keep from using energy by resting or gliding when possible

contour feathers

stiff feathers designed to cover the wings and body of a bird

convex

Wings that are curved on top

crop

a large sac between the esophagus and stomach that stores food until the bird is ready to begin digestion

D

diurnal

Daytime hunters

domestic

Any animal used by man - not wild

down feathers

fluffy feathers designed to help insulate and keep a bird warm

drag

anything that hinders or hampers the speed; something that pulls you down

E

electrocution

Injury or death from electricity

environmental contamination

Pollution of the environment

esophagus

Portion of the body that connects the mouth with the stomach

F

falconiformes

Related to falcons; hawks, osprey, eagles, etc

fledge

the rearing of a young bird until it has grown its feathers and is able to fly and leave the nest

flight feathers

special contour feathers that help a bird get off the ground, move in the air, and land safely

foragers

Scavenge for food - eats discarded food

fovea

a rodless area of the retina enabling a bird of prey acute vision

G

gizzard

a special muscle of the stomach that helps the digestive process by grinding and crushing hard-to-digest food; acts like teeth

I

incubating

Keep eggs warm until hatching

insects

Small air breathing animal with three body parts

instinct

Comes by nature - not taught

K

keratin

a tough, fibrous protein; the basic substance of hair, nails, horns, feathers, shafts, etc

M

mammals

animals that give milk to young and have hair

migration

The seasonal movement from one region to another

molt

to shed feathers, skin, horns, etc. before replacement with new growth

monocular vision

seeing two different objects at the same time; a different object per eye

N

nictitating membrane

a transparent third eyelid hinged at the lower lid of the eye of raptors, and closes laterally across the eye

nocturnal

Nighttime hunters

O

ornithologist

an individual that studies birds

P

parasites

Any living thing that lives in or on another for food

pectoral

Chest muscles attached to the wings

pellet

the unusable and undigested material that a bird cannot process for nutrients, and is regurgitated in the form of a pellet

pesticides

A chemical for the use of killing plant or animal pests

physique

Physical or body structure

predators

Any animal that hunts for its food

preening

a process that most birds do with an oil secreted from a special gland; involves rubbing the oil over its feathers to protect them

R

rapere

To seize or capture

raptor

of or belonging to a group of birds of prey, such as hawks, eagles, falcons, vultures, owls, etc.; Latin word meaning to seize or capture

regulations

laws

regurgitated

To vomit

reptiles

Animals that are cold blooded have scaly skin - snakes, lizards, turtles

rodents

Small nibbling animals; rats, mice, squirrels

S

shaft

the stem of a feather; the hollow tube that holds the feathers together and in place

sockets

Also called the orbit; the space in the skull in which the eye rests

stamina

The ability to endure

strigiformes

Scientific name for owls

symmetric

Found on both sides of the body

T

talons

the lethal weapons of raptors; powerful feet with toes (usually three or four) having sharp ends

tomial

The cutting edge of a bird's beak

transparent

Allows light through

V

vertebrates

an animal with a backbone or spinal column

W

warm-blooded

being able to control and maintain a constant body temperature even when the temperature of the environment changes

wings

either of the paired organs of flight of a bird, bat, insect, etc