Where do they live?
Raptors like to live in a wide-variety of places including; hilly crags, open farmland, dry grassland, marshes, moorland, rock faces, sea-cliffs, quarries, woodlands, orchards, copses and even larger hedgerows. Kestrels whilst being happy living in natural sites such as cliff faces are equally at home living in man made sites such as church spires, pylons, cranes and even window boxes. Then there is the Barn Owl who likes to nest in old trees and farm buildings.

What do they eat?
Raptor species have quite a wide taste, eating small mammals such as mice, voles, rabbits and shrews but they also enjoy small birds, carrion, lizards, insects, beetles and worms. But some of the bigger species prefer larger prey such as the Peregrine Falcon who prefers to feed on wading birds, pigeons and small ducks whereas the Osprey prefers to dine on fish.

Where to see them?
There are many places to spot Raptors but the easiest way is to keep your eyes open whilst travelling around the Island as you may spot them perched on gate posts, pylons or telephone wires, hovering beside the roadside verge, or above fields, river valleys and open farmland whilst they are on the look out for prey.

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