Birds of Prey: Stunning Photographs of the World’s Great Hunting Birds

In the hands of the right photographer, no creatures are more photogenic than birds. This is borne out in Birds of Prey, Tom Jackson’s tribute to the birds around the world that depend on hunting for their existence. Whether feasting on small vertebrates or carrion, they show a range of lifestyles as easy to distinguish as their appearance and behavior.

Jackson has divided his book into sections, drawing the species together in pairs or as stand-alone individuals, showing how the sameness within each group and between groups are features demonstrating their hunting skills. Birds of prey have extra-sharp eyesight, allowing them to look down and spot prey from high above, talons on their claws, and curved beaks to tear their victims. His chapters bring together eagles and kites, hawks and harriers, falcons and kestrels, all alert in daytime, along with the snowy owl in the Arctic north.

The photographs are clearly captioned, providing a mini-bio of each. Although Jackson describes vultures as “unloved, ugly and filthy,” one senses a secret respect for them, matching his admiration for the beauty of so many others, such as the Javan beagle-hawk and the skinny-legged Secretary bird.