Raptors - Hunters in the Sky
Oregon is an amazing place for birds! Nearly 500 bird species use Oregon for some part of their life cycle. Of these more than 200 pass through the Portland Metropolitan Region each year. Our state ranks 5th in the nation for bird diversity.
With so many birds, how do you tell one from another? Here are some keys to identification:
- Size & Shape
- Color Pattern
- Behavior
- Habitat
- Field Marks
- Songs & Calls
Welcome to an introduction to raptors - birds of prey that use their feet instead of their beaks to capture prey. They have good vision, sharp hooked beaks, and powerful feet with curved, sharp talons. Do you know which birds are pictured here? Click on each picture to find out more about some birds common in our backyards and learn how to identify them.
photos by Jim Cruce
