Peregrine Woburn: new kid hooked bill!

October 25, 2016 in Peregrine Falcon Woburn

_w7i2313-001Another bright sunny morning with blue skies and great light!  While stopping by to look for the Woburn Peregrines, discovered the new kid in the nest ledge.  It nestled in like the nest ledge has been home for some time.  Had a nice look at hooked bill. Raptors have sharp, hooked beaks they use to pierce prey, pull off fur, tug away skin, pluck out feathers, and tear meat into bite-sized, easy-to-swallow chunks. In addition to the specialized shape of their beaks, raptors also have a unique “tooth” tucked inside their upper mandible (upper beak). This “tooth” is shaped like a small triangle and is called a tomial tooth. The tomial tooth helps a bird kill its prey quickly by cutting the prey’s spinal cord. After the prey is dead, a raptor can fly away with it and eat in a safe place.