Extreme Lives | Raptors: A Fistful of Daggers

See the extreme ways in which raptors conquer the toughest habitats on Earth. From snowy owls in the high Arctic to honey buzzards raiding hornet nests in Taiwan, raptors can hunt prey in any climate.

Asian giant hornets are the biggest on Earth and can kill humans. But their larvae are irresistible to oriental honey buzzards.

When a young caracara comes across a penguin carcass guarded by older birds, he calls for backup from other young birds. Young caracaras band together and join gangs for the first years of their lives.

In the early 2000s, an invasive snail species took over these Florida wetlands. These invasive snails were too big for many of Florida's snail kites to consume, so many birds vanished. But ten years later, these birds have made an unbelievable recovery.