Britannica defines "birds of prey" as birds with hooked beaks and sharp talons that feed on other animals.

You'll want to keep your eyes on the sky because — according to Bird Advisors — there are 39 different birds of prey in Colorado.

RELATED: Keep an Eye Out for These 10 Animals at Horsetooth Mountain

Birds of prey can be divided into two orders: the Falconiformes, or raptors, and Strigiformes, or owls.

Today, we'll explore 10 common birds of prey you can see in the Centennial State.

1. Red-Tailed Hawk

Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
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According to Bird Watching Pro, red-tailed hawks live in Colorado year-round and feed on small mammals. The birds are named after their reddish-brown tail.

2. Golden Eagle

Dmitry Grigoriev // Unsplash
Dmitry Grigoriev // Unsplash
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife reports that golden eagles enjoy a variety of habitats in Colorado all year long. In the Centennial State, the birds usually hatch their young in April.

3. Cooper's Hawk

Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
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Bird Watching HQ says Cooper's hawks like to live in fields and woods in Colorado year-round. They also frequently visit bird feeders to prey on songbirds.

4. Osprey

Mathew Schwartz // Unsplash
Mathew Schwartz // Unsplash
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According to Bird Advisors, ospreys typically live in Colorado from March to November for the breeding season. The birds' preferred meal is fish, and they frequent bodies of water.

5. Northern Goshawk

Andrey Gulivanov // Unsplash
Andrey Gulivanov // Unsplash
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Bird Watching Pro notes that northern goshawks live all over Colorado but are found year-round in the western part of the state. You can recognize these birds by the white stripes above their eyes.

6. Peregrine Falcon

Ian Tuck // Unsplash
Ian Tuck // Unsplash
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Bird Watching HQ reports that Peregrine falcons are particularly fond of nesting in cities but live all over Colorado. The birds can dive faster than a cheetah can run.

7. American Kestrel

Dillon T. // Unsplash
Dillon T. // Unsplash
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Bird Advisors says American kestrels are small falcons that live year-round in Colorado's open fields. The birds primarily hunt insects and small animals.

8. Bald Eagle

Richard Lee // Unsplash
Richard Lee // Unsplash
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According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, bald eagles are commonly in Colorado during the summer and winter seasons. The birds often live near reservoirs and rivers like the South Platte, Rio Grande, and Colorado.

9. Turkey Vulture

Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
Joshua J. Cotten // Unsplash
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Bird Watching HQ says you can spot turkey vultures flying in wobbly circles in the Colorado sky. The birds frequently feed on roadkill and in open fields.

10. Great Horned Owl

Rúben Marques // Unsplash
Rúben Marques // Unsplash
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Bird Watching Pro notes that Great Horned Owls are the most common type in Colorado. They're nocturnal, so watch for them in the trees at night.

Scroll Through Some of Colorado's Rarest Birds

The Colorado Bird Records Committee of Colorado Field Ornithologists reports an amazing 514 species of birds can be found in the Centennial State. Scroll through the photos below to see some of the rarest birds you'll encounter in Colorado.

LOOK: Most commonly seen birds in Colorado

Stacker compiled a list of the most common birds seen in Colorado from Project FeederWatch.

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