bird of prey

American  

noun

1. any of numerous predacious, flesh-eating birds, as the eagles, hawks, kites, vultures, falcons, and owls, having a sharp, downwardly curved beak, talons, and, usually, soaring flight.

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bird of prey British  

noun

1. a bird, such as a hawk, eagle, or owl, that hunts and kills other animals, esp vertebrates, for food. It has strong talons and a sharp hooked bill

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Etymology

Origin of bird of prey

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Charlotte Caetano, from Bournemouth, has also been photographing the eagles, which are the UK's largest bird of prey, with a wingspan of up to 2.5m.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Britain's second largest bird of prey was wiped out in England during the 19th Century after a concerted campaign of hunting.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Meanwhile the narrator’s financially devious husband appears as a vulture with “the brooding eye, the blood-tipped beak, the flabby folds of flesh” of a bird of prey.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

How do you share a film set with a notoriously fierce bird of prey?

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

She had a strong nose and a fierce, piercing look, like a bird of prey.

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen