Where did raptors originate?

Raptors, or Birds of Prey, are believed to have originated from a common ancestor in the order Accipitriformes, which includes hawks, eagles, and vultures, around 60 million years ago. This lineage likely evolved from smaller carnivorous birds during the late Cretaceous period. Fossil evidence suggests that they adapted to various ecological niches as they diversified, leading to the wide range of raptor species we see today. Their evolutionary history is closely tied to the development of flight and predation strategies.