bird of prey

noun phrase

: a carnivorous bird (such as a hawk, eagle, vulture, or owl) that feeds wholly or chiefly on meat taken by hunting or on carrion : raptor

Examples of bird of prey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My favorite bird of prey is our national bird, the majestic bald eagle. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 In the 2024 movie musical, Regina (Reneé Rapp) picks a dramatic, yet less revealing look that resembles an elaborate bird of prey. —Alexandra Willingham, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024 Recently, owls and other birds of prey were found dead, suggesting some wild animals had been stricken with the virus. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 22 Oct. 2024 These include: Raptors at the Depot, where riders can see owls, eagles and other birds of prey and learn about native Sedona wildlife just before their ride. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bird of prey 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bird of prey was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bird of prey

bird of passage

bird of prey

bird of wonder

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Bird of prey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird%20of%20prey. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

bird of prey

: a meat-eating bird (as a hawk) that feeds partly or completely on the animals it hunts

More from Merriam-Webster on bird of prey

Nglish: Translation of bird of prey for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bird of prey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...