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 While the Americas are rife with all sorts of fearsome birds of prey—the golden eagle, Cooper's hawk and bald eagle, to name a few—there’s one raptor in particular that dominates the Neotropics. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 There were ample signs that whitetail, birds of prey, and other wildlife had been present in the area. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 17 Oct. 2024 In late 2021, a Steller’s sea eagle—a massive bird of prey that hails from Asia—touched down in Georgetown after traversing the continent. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024 New York City is believed to have the largest urban population of the bird of prey, and they are frequently seen nesting on skyscraper ledges and flying across large open spaces, including Central Park's Reservoir, Jamaica Bay and Fort Washington Park. Catherine Garcia, theweek, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bird of prey 

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

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 5 Nov. 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

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