Are there over 1 billion birds of prey in the world?

Answer 1

If you are asking are there over one billion species of birds of prey, the answer is 'NO'.

If you are asking are the over one billion Birds of Prey in total in the world, the answer is... 'no one knows, because no one has counted them all yet'. But it is not likely.

Consider that there are multiple species of birds of prey, however most birds of prey are in relatively small numbers compared to other birds such as 'gulls' (seagulls) which are primarily scavengers, although in instances you might consider them a bird of prey, simply because they will actively fish if needed.

Now there is definite probability in considering there are over one billion 'gulls' , they simply breed at extraordinary rates. If you were to consider gulls in the mix of birds of prey, yes there would definitely be over one billion birds of prey on the planet. However, essentially they are not considered birds of prey, so we are left back with the consensus on what is considered a bird of prey.

As I started saying, in relation to other bird species, birds of prey are relatively small in numbers. However, I am not qualified to say whether there are or are not over one billion... my general feeling is 'no', but there would most likely be in excess of 300 million. That means every single person in the United States of America could own a bird of prey and there should be more left over to share with other people around the world.

Think of it as simply as this... ask ten different people in ten different location around the world how many people each one of them sees in the world in one week.

There are 6,602,224,175 people in the world today as I write this.

Now ask the same people how many birds of prey do they see in the world in one week.

Then do a ratio comparison and you should have an answer close to the reality of the number of birds of prey in the world.

I would say on average, a person would see more than 200 people in one week. I am not talking about people you know. I am simply saying people you see when you are simply walking down the street or in a shopping mall etc.

Now in comparison, I would say on average people would see 2 birds of prey in a week, depending on where you live, you may see none, or you may see ten, so average that out and it would probably come to about 2 per person, in a good bird sighting week.

Is this starting to paint a reasonable picture for you... I hope I have been of some help.

Don't always believe statistics, do an exercise for yourself based on rational and logical thinking and you will always get an answer closer to reality than relying on statistics that are often averaged out anyway.

Honestly, who has been around the world and counted every single spider, or cockroach, or people with blue eyes, or free radicals in a cubic meter of space, or stars in one hundred galaxies, to give us figures and numbers of any actual and infallible accuracy on the stats of things. Doesn't it always make you wonder, who the heck counted these things... I definitely know the answer to that one... NO ONE!

cya

Dr CD (DA Phys, MSc E, BBus A)

Answer 2

2400