In vivo bite and grip forces, morphology and prey-killing behavior of North American accipiters (Accipitridae) and falcons (Falconidae)

The Journal of Experimental Biology
Diego Sustaita, Fritz Hertel

Abstract

Raptors exhibit a diversity of strategies to procure their prey but ultimately kill using their beaks and/or talons. Thus, bite and grip forces are ecologically important variables that have direct survival implications. Whereas hawks rely primarily on their feet for killing prey, falcons tend to employ their beaks. Consequently, falcons are expected to achieve relatively greater bite forces, and hawks are expected to generate relatively greater grip forces. Force estimates predicted from musculoskeletal morphology in a previous study indicated that falcons (Falco spp.) possess greater jaw force capabilities than accipiters (Accipiter spp.) but there were no clear differences in predicted grip-force capacity outside of differences in scaling. The objective of this study was to complement those results with measurements of in vivo forces by inducing captive and wild accipiters and falcons to bite and grasp force transducers. Bite force increased isometrically in both groups whereas grip force tended toward positive allometry. After adjusting for body mass, falcons produced greater bite forces, and accipiters produced greater grip forces. Thus, previous anatomical estimates of forces predicted the expected direction and magnitude...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jan 5, 2013·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Diego SustaitaAnthony Herrel
Jun 27, 2013·Journal of Morphology·María Clelia MostoMariana Beatriz Julieta Picasso
Mar 8, 2013·Anatomia, histologia, embryologia·M Clelia Mosto, C Patricia Tambussi
Jun 9, 2015·Journal of Anatomy·Julieta CarrilClaudia P Tambussi
Apr 1, 2015·Zoological Science·S I GuangdiZihui Zhang
Jun 13, 2015·Royal Society Open Science·Spencer B BackusAaron M Dollar
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May 20, 2021·Scientific Reports·Wencke KringsStanislav N Gorb
Jul 10, 2021·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Case Vincent Miller, Michael Pittman

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