English: Birds of prey.
Name:
Accipitriformes from Latin accipiter "hawk" and formes "having the form of".
Genera: 75; 262 species; 4 families.
ZoologyAccipitriformes are diurnal birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, vultures, and kites, but not falcons. They typically have a sharply hooked beak with a soft cere housing the nostrils. Their wings are long and fairly broad, suitable for soaring flight, with the outer four to six primary feathers emarginated.
They have strong legs and feet with raptorial claws and opposable hind claws. Almost all
Accipitriformes are carnivorous, hunting by sight during the day or at twilight. They are exceptionally long-lived, and most have low reproductive rates.
The young have a long, very fast-growing fledgling stage, followed by 3 to 8 weeks of nest care after first flight, and 1 to 3 years as sexually immature adults. The sexes have conspicuously different sizes and sometimes a female is more than twice as heavy as her mate. This sexual dimorphism is sometimes most extreme in specialized bird-eaters, such as the Accipiter hawks. Monogamy is the general rule, although an alternative mate is often selected if one dies.
TaxonomyFor a long time
Accipitriformes included the falcons. A DNA study indicated that falcons are not closely related to the
Accipitriformes, being instead more closely related to parrots and passerines.
GeneraAccipitriformes:
Accipitridae,
Cathartidae,
Pandionidae, Sagittariidae, †Teratornithidae
Accipitridae: Accipiter, Aegypius, Aquila, Aviceda, Busarellus, Butastur, Buteo, Buteogallus, Chelictinia, Chondrohierax, Circaetus, Circus, Clanga, Cryptoleucopteryx, Elanoides, Elanus, Erythrotriorchis, Eutriorchis, Gampsonyx, Geranoaetus, Geranospiza, Gypaetus, Gypohierax, Gyps, Haliaeetus, Haliastur, Hamirostra, Harpagus, Harpia, Harpyopsis, Helicolestes, Henicopernis, Hieraaetus, Ictinaetus, Ictinia, Kaupifalco, Leptodon, Leucopternis, Lophaetus, Lophoictinia, Lophotriorchis, Macheiramphus, Megatriorchis, Melierax, Micronisus, Milvus, Morphnarchus, Morphnus, Necrosyrtes, Neophron, Nisaetus, Parabuteo, Pernis, Pithecophaga, Polemaetus, Polyboroides, Pseudastur, Rostrhamus, Rupornis, Sarcogyps, Spilornis, Spizaetus, Stephanoaetus, Terathopius, Torgos, Trigonoceps, Urotriorchis
Cathartidae: Cathartes, Coragyps, Gymnogyps, Sarcoramphus, Vultur
Pandionidae: Pandion
Sagittariidae: Sagittarius
LiteratureHackett, S.J. & others; A Phylogenomic Study of Birds Reveals Their Evolutionary History;
Science 320, 1763; 2008.