BIRDS OF PREY:
RAPTORS, WINGED PREDATORS

RAPTOR LESSON PLAN

Directions:

Print the Raptors, Winged Predators reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

     Raptors, also called birds of prey, are birds that are predators.  This means they hunt and kill other animals for food.  There are many different types of these birds.  Falcons, eagles, hawks, and owls are all raptors.  They usually kill by using the talons, or claws, on their feet.

     The types of birds grouped as “raptors” are very different from each other.  Owls hunt at night, while hawks and eagles hunt in the daytime.  Owls are built differently from hawks and eagles.  Owls are called nocturnal animals.  They are active at night and usually sleep during the daytime.  Their eyes can see well in dim light.  When it is too dark for owls to see, they can still find prey by listening for it because they also have very good hearing.  The flight feathers of owls are soft on the edges.  This helps them to fly silently, and it keeps their prey from hearing them approach.

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