Falcons are particularly astute hunters, able to use a wide visual field to track and attack targets. Their pursuit strategy has evolved so they can hunt fast and erratically moving prey in complex environments.
The wide-angle vision system that makes them such good predators, however, also make them particularly prone to collisions with buildings, wind turbines and power lines.
Now a new understanding of how falcons track and capture their prey may open up future possibilities in designing structures that are more visible to large birds.
Happy Birthday, John James Audubon! The famous student and painter of birds was born on April 26, 1785. In celebration of his great work, and of the conservation movement he helped inspire, we present a few examples of his illustrations.
All of these images come from his seminal work The Birds of America, printed in a series from 1827 to 1838. These drawings come courtesy of the digital collection of the New York Public Library, which includes many other illustrations from Audubon.
Above is an adult male whooping crane, which appears to be going for a meal of baby alligators. The bird is presently endangered.