What are raptors?
Raptors are also known as birds of prey, they can fly in a vast range and are predatory birds, that means most of them exclusively feed on flesh of other animals.
What makes a bird a raptor?
Raptors have hooked beak with sharp cutting edges, sharp and curved talons, very good eyesight (eight times more powerful than human eye), powerful wings and feet, e.g vultures, hawks, eagles, falcons and owls.
What do raptors eat?
Raptors eat various food items including dead bodies of almost all animals (e.g. vultures), insects; amphibians; reptiles; fish; birds and their eggs and small to medium sized mammals.
Why are raptors important?
- Raptors are apex predators positioned at the top of the food chain.
- Any changes in the environment such as impact of habitat loss, pesticides, climate change etc. has first impact to these top predators. There
- fore, raptors are regarded as indicators of ecosystem health.
- Study of raptor populations could provide a cost effective and efficient means of detecting environmental changes, that allows us to take immediate actions to protect our environment.
- Raptors help us to maintain a healthy environment by consuming animal corpses (e.g. vultures), and by controlling populations of rodents, stray dogs and other pest animals.
- Being at the top of the food chain, they help keep their biological community in balance by limiting their prey species’ populations.
- Efficient detectors of Environmental changs.
How are raptors threatened?
Raptors face numerous threats, most of which are caused by human activities. Major risks include:
Habitat loss and land conversion: Destruction and alteration of natural areas reduce space for nesting and foraging.
Poisoning: Intentional and accidental poisoning—such as veterinary drugs like NSAIDs and poisoned baits.
Agricultural pesticides: Pesticides and rodenticides affect raptor health and reproduction.
Overfishing: Reduce food for fish-eating raptors.
Nesting site disturbance: Removal or disruption of nests undermines breeding success.
Persecution, poaching, and illegal trade: Direct killing and capture for trade decline the population.
Powerlines, wind turbines etc. pose a risk of electrocution and collisions, which cause serious injury and mortality.
Climate change affects prey availability and suitable habitat.
Status of raptors in Nepal
- Nepal is a home to 60 species (19% of the world total) of day time active raptors (vultures, eagles, hawks, falcons) and 23 species of owls
- 11 species (18%) of Nepal’s diurnal raptors are globally threatened (3 species CR, 4 EN and 4 VU) and additionally eight species (13%) are near-threatened.
- 28 species (47%) are nationally threatened (13 species CR, 4 EN and 11 VU) and additionally four species (7%) are near-threatened.