Killer
ON THE PROWL
By Mignonne Gunasekara
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Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gunasekara, Mignonne.
Title: Killer birds / Mignonne Gunasekara.
Description: New York : Gareth Stevens, 2022. | Series: Predators on the prowl |
Includes glossary and index.
Identiers: ISBN 9781538274194 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538274217 (library bound) |
ISBN 9781538274200 (6 pack) | ISBN 9781538274224 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Birds of prey--Juvenile literature. | Predatory animals--Behavior--Juvenile literature.
Classication: LCC QL677.78 G858 2022 | DDC 598.9--dc23
2022 Booklife Publishing
This edition is published by arrangement with Booklife Publishing
Published in 2022 by
Gareth Stevens Publishing
29 E. 21st Street
New York, NY 10010
Written by: Mignonne Gunasekara
Edited by: Shalini Vallepur
Designed by: Amy Li
Photo Credits. All images courtesy of Shutterstock. With thanks to Getty Images, Thinkstock Photo
and iStockphoto.
Recurring images Ameena Matcha (old paper), teacept (header font), Alexey Pushkin (grunge
texture), MrNoe (claw marks), Olga_C, Ograca (grunge shapes). Cover Martin Dallaire, silky,
p23 Martin Dallaire, p45 Ondrej Prosicky, Rudmer Zwerver, p67 Sergey Uryadnikov, Alta
Oosthuizen, p89 fernando sanchez, Jesus Giraldo Gutierrez, p1011 MZPHOTO.CZ, Mark
Bridger, TheRocky41, p1213 Geza Kurka Photos, Christopher P McLeod, p1415 Brian E Kushner,
Chris Hill, Sekar B, p1617 Vadim Petrakov, Wang LiQiang, p1819 Harry Collins Photography,
Studioimagen73, p2021 Jose Paulo Xavier Diogo, Milan Zygmunt, p2223 FloridaStock, Geza
Kurka Photos, Harry Collins Photography, Mark Medcalf, Werner Baumgarten
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing
from the publisher, except by a reviewer.
Printed in the United States of America
CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CWGS22: For further information contact Gareth Stevens, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595.
Page 4 Meet the Predators
Page 6 Red Kite
Page 8 Great Skua
Page 10 Barn Owl
Page 12 Common Kingfisher
Page 14 Bald Eagle
Page 16 Great White Pelican
Page 18 Peregrine Falcon
Page 20 Common Kestrel
Page 22 Spread Your Wings
Page 24 Glossary and Index
Words that
look like this
can be found in
the glossary on
page 24.
Welcome to the world
of predators. Predators
are animals that hunt other
animals for food. They come
in many shapes and sizes,
but they all have something
in common: To their prey, they
are terrifying!
In this book, we will be looking at predators that are birds.
They might look beautiful, but dont be fooledthey rule
the skies as well as the roost.
A roost
is where birds
go to rest
or sleep.
Red kites are mostly found in Europe
and northwest Africa. In the past, the
species nearly went extinct. Today,
their numbers are growing.
hooked beak
A species is
a group of very
similar animals that
can have babies
together.
Red kites commonly
eat whatever prey
they can find.
Habitat: woodlands, open areas
Weapons: hooked beak
Prey: worms, small mammals, carrion
Fact File
Red kites are scavengers. They eat animals that are
already dead, called carrion. They sometimes hunt for
small animals, such as rabbits.
The great skua is known as a pirate of the sea.
This is because great skuas steal food from other birds.
sharp beak
The great skua is also
known as the bonxie.
The great skua is
a large seabird. It
has been known to
fly angrily at anyone
that gets too close
to its nest.
Habitat: coasts, moors
Weapons: sharp beak, talons
Prey: sh, birds, carrion
Fact File
Great skuas eat smaller
birds, such as puffins.
hooked beak
Barn owls can fly very
quietly to sneak up on prey.
sharp talons
Barn owls have very good
hearing to help them hunt at
night. The shape of their face
helps them to hear by sending
sounds past their ears.
Barn owls
regurgitate parts
of prey that cant
be broken down
in the stomach,
such as bones and
fur. This matter is
called a pellet.
Habitat: farmland, grasslands, wetlands, coasts
Weapons: good hearing, sharp talons
Prey: shrews, eld voles, wood mice
Fact File
Barn owls eat small
mammals, such as
voles and mice.
pellet
These small, colorful
birds can be found
shing near rivers and
other slow-moving
waters. They mostly
hunt for small sh, but
they also eat insects.
perch
Perches are places where
birds can rest or take a
good look around.
Habitat: grasslands, wetlands
Weapons: speed
Prey: sh, insects, shrimp
Fact File
Common kingfishers hunt
by sitting on perches
near water, where prey
is easy to spot. They
dive into the water to
catch prey and bring
it back to their perch
to eat.
fast flyer
The common kingfisher
eats shrimp.
Bald eagles belong to a group of birds known as
sea eagles. They have very good eyesight
and can see prey from far away.
Bald eagles have sharp,
hooked beaks to
rip into food.
hooked beak
Habitat: wetlands, grasslands
Weapons: good eyesight, talons, sharp beak
Prey: sh, small mammals, other birds
Fact File
Bald eagles use their
talons to grab sh
out of the water.
They also eat carrion
and steal prey that
other animals
have killed.
sharp talons
Bald eagles eat a lot of
fish, such as salmon.
Pelicans are some of the largest birds on Earth. They are known
for the stretchy pouches under their bills, which they use to
scoop sh out of the water.
large bill
webbed feet
throat pouch
Pelicans have webbed feet
to help them swim.
Habitat: wetlands
Weapons: bill, hunting in groups
Prey: sh
Fact File
Great white pelicans usually fish in groups. They swim
together and push the fish into one area, then scoop
them up to eat.
Pelicans
can fly for long
