Birds of prey are some of the most well-adapted animals in the world today. Over millions of years of evolution, they have had the chance to perfect their amazingly skillful talons, and diversify their use to a wide array of applications. Possible kill methods range from squeezing the prey until it gives its final breath, to dismembering the animal unfortunate enough to allow itself to get caught. Now, scientists have managed to unravel the talons' mystery, in a finding that could see them gaining new insights into how dinosaurs, the ancestors of birds, used their claws as well, LiveScience reports.

Biologists have a difficult time explaining how vicious birds of prey kill their victims even now. In spite of the fact that they have numerous observation methods at their disposal, the experts argue that getting the chance to witness a large bird eating its prey remains largely a matter of luck. Therefore, they argue, it should come as a surprise to no one that biology still has no clear clue on how talons work.

“In recent years we have been lucky enough that members of the public have been posting videos of raptor kills on YouTube – just things that they happened upon while out for a walk, or looked out into their garden to see amidst a blizzard of pigeon feathers a sparrowhawk furiously plucking aw... (read more)