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.
It was killed by a bird of prey, as were the animals it was found with. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 Steller’s sea eagles are massive birds of prey, with wingspans stretching up to eight feet long—bigger than the tallest NBA players. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025 White Mountain Nature Center Raptor Flight Show, Lakeside Raptor training exhibitions take place several days of the week and offer a remarkably close look at some impressive birds of prey. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 1 Jan. 2025 While overall capybaras are not considered an endangered species, there are lots of vicious predators after them, including jaguars, pumas, caimans, snakes like the boa constrictor, and birds of prey like the caracara and black vulture, among others. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024 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 21 Jan. 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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