A sharp, hooked beak, talons, and keen vision characterize birds of prey. These adaptations make birds of prey skilled hunters. This avian group is also known as raptors and includes eagles, hawks (including old world vultures of Africa, Asia, and Europe), falcons, osprey, secretary birds, new world vultures (in the Americas), and owls. All of these birds prey on other animals - most catch live animals and some scavenge on carrion (animal carcasses). All are important members of their ecosystems. From falcons to vultures to owls, you and your class can explore the world of these avian hunters in this month's Land, Sea & Air.

Young students in grades K-3 can study basic bird characteristics through labeling and coloring in a falcon funsheet in the following activity.

6-8 grade students can develop critical thinking and public speaking skills as they discover biological information on raptors in the True or False activity. Additionally, in the Raptor Ratios activity, students can practice their math skills while digging up fascinating facts on a variety of raptor species.

How are birds adapted to fly? High school students (grade 9-12) can find out by designing their own aerodynamic airplanes in the following Flying High activity.

Which bird has a wing span of up to 3 meters (10 feet) - making it the largest bird of prey? How many mice can a barn owl consume in a year? Why do vultures have featherless faces? Find out in the following Birds of Prey InfoBook and Animal Bytes.

While some raptors, such as the bald eagle, have recovered from the brink of extinction, many birds of prey still face threats to their populations from a variety of factors. One key threat is habitat degradation from human development and poaching. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund provides grants to a number of projects that involve conserving birds of prey and their habitats around the world. Visit the following links to discover more about a couple of projects supported by the Fund.

Accidental ingestion of lead from bullets and fishing weights can be fatal to large numbers of raptors, waterfowl, and other birds. St. Agathas Troop 5 from the Boston Minuteman Council of the Boy Scouts of America led by Project Facilitator Mike Browne was one of the winners of the 2009 SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Awards for their "Get the Lead out of Fishing" project. This project succeeded in educating hundreds of anglers on the dangers of lead in recreational fishing, and also exchanged lead fishing weights with more environmentally friendly ones.

Follow the link below to discover more about this project and about the other seven winning projects. You can also find out how you and your student or youth group can be winners in the 2010 SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Awards.