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bird of prey
noun phrase
: a carnivorous bird (such as a hawk, eagle, vulture, or owl) that feeds wholly or chiefly on meat taken by hunting or on carrion : raptor
Examples of bird of prey in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dragonflies, birds of prey, crocodiles and elephants fill the land, water and air from edge to edge.
—Will Heinrich, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024
The bird, hatched last year, had been injured but was rehabilitated and released back into the wild
Paul A. Smith
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Peregrine falcons are well-known as birds of prey that can fly extremely fast and travel long distances.
—Paul Smith, Journal Sentinel, 28 Jan. 2024
The animals typically feed on fruits, seeds, nuts and invertebrates, the zoo added, and their main predators are large birds of prey, jaguars, ocelots and large constrictor snakes.
—Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 7 Oct. 2023
The birds of prey are in their winter gatherings leading up to breeding season and usually congregate together around open waters.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Jan. 2024
Music, food, drinks, vendors, education booths, live birds of prey, children’s activities, field trips, more.
—Michelle Jenkins, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Compare that to an Andean condor, the largest bird of prey in the world.
—Paul M. Sutter, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023
In a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, it's revealed that a growing number of couples are opting for birds of prey like owls and hawks to serve as ring bearers during their nuptials.
—Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024
The effort cost the couple about $50,000 a year to buy rodents from pet stores, laboratory animal dealers and feed stores to nourish their birds of prey.
—Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bird of prey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of bird of prey was
in the 14th century
Articles Related to bird of prey
Dictionary Entries Near bird of prey
Cite this Entry
“Bird of prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird%20of%20prey. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
bird of prey
: a meat-eating bird (as a hawk) that feeds partly or completely on the animals it hunts
More from Merriam-Webster on bird of prey
Nglish: Translation of bird of prey for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bird of prey
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