5 CHAPTER 1 Moving through the Air A red tailed hawk sits on a tree branch With a few powerful beats of its wings the hawk takes flight It keeps flapping its wings to fly through the air Then it spots a mouse on the ground
6 The hawk flies in a circle dips one of its wings and folds both wings slightly back Its tail is fanned out for steering The hawk dives down to snatch up its prey Wing Shape and Body Size A bird's wing shape and body size tell about its lifestyle Hawks and other birds of prey often have wings that come to a point at the tips The slots between feathers help them glide The feathers catch rising warm air This keeps the bird in the air The birds can also twist and move between trees to hunt or to escape being hunted
7 Birds of prey such as kites can make sharp turns
