Of course, even the nice little birds in our back yards capture prey. Robins pull worms out of lawns, after all, and swallows catch insects in the air. But we would not call such birds raptors. We reserve the word raptor for birds of grander bearing. We mean eagles, ospreys, falcons, hawks, and kites.
Raptors have powerful feet and claws, the weapons with which they strike and kill.
Their beaks are hooked, for tearing prey apart. Their vision is keen. They can see as well all the time as we can see using binoculars. They live at a pitch of alertness that seems close to ecstasy. Many people are enraptured with raptors.