Photo Gallery: Raptors

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Great Horned Owl

Photograph by Joel Sartore

The most common owl in North and South America, the great horned owl has adapted to a wide variety of habitats and climates.

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Peregrine Falcon

Photograph by Michael Melford

Once an endangered species in the United States, North American peregrine falcon populations have made a great comeback due to bans on usage of DDT and similar pesticides.

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Steller's Sea Eagle

Photograph by Tim Laman

Holding its prey down with powerful talons, a Steller's sea eagle displays its wings, which can have a span of over 6 feet (2 meters).

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Snowy Owl

Photograph by Norbert Rosing

The snowy owl's beautiful white plumage helps to hide it in its Arctic habitat. Only the males are completely white. Chicks are dark and spotted, while the females are white with spots on their wings.

Boreal Owl

Photograph by George F. Herben

This small, secretive owl is considered one of the rarest of owls. It is entirely nocturnal, spending the day concealed in dense spruce or a hollow tree. It preys mainly on rodents.

Burrowing Owl

Photograph by Klaus Nigge

The burrowing owl makes its home in the treeless, shortgrass country of western North America, from southern Canada to Mexico. It depends mainly on the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs for nesting sites and shelter.

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Cuban Screech Owl

Photograph by Steve Winter

The Cuban screech owl is endemic to Cuba, where it is found in wooded areas, often nesting in abandoned woodpecker holes.

Eastern Screech Owl

Photograph by Joel Sartore

The eastern screech owl ranges across the eastern half of the United States and inhabits woodlands, parks, and suburban yards. Screech owls do most of their hunting in the first few hours after dark.

Northern Spotted Owl

Photograph by James P. Blair

To breed and raise its young, the northern spotted owl requires up to 100 acres (40.5 hectares) of old-growth forest.