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    BirdWatching

    North America’s raptors

    Aug 10, 2019 3 minutes
    BY ELDON GREIJ

    Most eagles, hawks, and falcons are specialized for capturing and feeding on birds and mammals. The Bald Eagle and Osprey prefer fish. All have a sharply hooked beak, toes that end in curved claws for grasping, and exceptional vision for spotting prey. The large, curved claws (talons), when closed, will puncture prey and are great for tearing flesh. These raptorial feet give birds of prey the name raptors.

    Evolution met the birds’ visual needs by packing the retina with huge numbers of sensory cells (rods and cones), ranking

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