talon

A talon is a sharp, curved claw located at the end of each toe of many birds of prey, most notably raptors such as eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. Talons are the primary hunting tools of these birds, used to seize and hold prey, pierce flesh, and carry captured animals.

Anatomy and function: Each toe bears a keratinous claw that grows continuously and is kept sharp by wear against perches or prey. The claws are thick and hooked, optimized for gripping rather than slicing. Raptors typically have an anisodactyl foot arrangement, with three toes pointing forward and one toe (the hallux) directed backward, enabling a powerful grasp. The inner toe is usually the strongest and contributes significantly to the grip during a strike or while carrying prey.

Variation among species: Talon size and curvature vary with diet and hunting strategy. Birds that tackle larger prey or strike from the air, such as eagles and large hawks, tend to have longer, more robust talons. Owls, active hunters at night, often possess proportionally strong talons and a firm grip to secure prey in low visibility. Smaller raptors, like falcons and smaller hawks, have more compact but still sharp talons suited to catching smaller prey at speed.

Maintenance and development: Talons continually grow and are renewed as birds molt and use their claws. They are kept sharp through routine use on branches and prey, and are protected by scaly skin at the base of the toe.

Other uses: In common language, talon may appear in heraldry, branding, or fiction to denote a claw or gripping appendage, but the biological talon refers to the avian claw described above.