Accipitridae

Accipitridae
Temporal range: 50–0 Ma Eocene to present[1]
Common buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Vieillot, 1816
Subfamilies

The Accipitridae (/ˌæksɪˈpɪtrɪdiː, -deɪ/) is one of the four families within the order Accipitriformes,[2] and is a family of small to large birds of prey with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a few feeding on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on all the world's continents (except Antarctica) and a number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory. The family contains 256 species which are divided into 12 subfamilies and 75 genera.

Many well-known birds such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group. The osprey is usually placed in a separate family (Pandionidae), as is the secretary bird (Sagittariidae), and the New World vultures are also usually now regarded as a separate family or order. Karyotype data[3][4][5] indicate the accipitrids analysed are indeed a distinct monophyletic group.

  1. ^ Mayr, Gerald; Smith, Thierry (2019-03-22). "A diverse bird assemblage from the Ypresian of Belgium furthers knowledge of early Eocene avifaunas of the North Sea Basin". Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen. 291 (3): 253–281. doi:10.1127/njgpa/2019/0801. S2CID 243569467.
  2. ^ "Catalogue of Life". Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-06-19.
  3. ^ de Boer 1975.
  4. ^ Amaral & Jorge 2003.
  5. ^ Federico et al. 2005.