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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the start of the outbreak, the group explained, the virus was primarily confined to waterfowl, but the buildup of dead birds has since allowed the disease to spread to birds of prey—including eagles, hawks and owls—that have scavenged these remains. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025 Although Lincoln lives at the American Eagle Foundation in Tennessee, football fans in the City of Brotherly Love have grown fond of the North American bird of prey, who was chosen as the team’s mascot in 2018. Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Jan. 2025 The most dependable is the California Raptor Center, a wildlife hospital with a large collection of outdoor aviaries holding non-releasable birds of prey: Stop in for free time with more than a dozen different hawks and owls. Jack Gedney, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025 And for animal lovers big and small, be sure to take photos with live birds of prey, including hawks and bald eagles, at the event. Alayna Alvarez, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for bird of prey 

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

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 13 Feb. 2025.

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

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