From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_026_ebird of preyˌbird of ˈprey noun (plural birds of prey) [countable] 
HBBa bird that kills other birds or small animals for food
HBBa bird that kills other birds or small animals for foodExamples from the Corpus
bird of prey• No bird of prey hovered overhead, not even the dragonflies disturbed the oily surface of the pond. 