The hunters Birds of prey belong to the order Falconiformes, and there are about 290 distinct species. The final family is the Pandionidae which also has one species, the osprey. These birds are characterized by a stout, hooked bill and feet formed into talons for grasping.
Birds of prey are predaceous, and usually hunt by day.
Some species hunt live prey while others, notably the vultures, mainly feed on carrion. The turkey vulture Cathartes aura is a large bird that can be seen from southern Canada down to the southernmost tip of South America. The turkey vulture or 'buzzard' as it is sometimes known is highly adaptable and can live in a wide variety of habitats from the cold South American deserts to the Central and South American rainforests. These birds feed on carrion, and can be recognized by their naked pink heads. They can often be seen overhead in the western USA gliding on air currents, tipping their wings from side to side as they fly.