Despite the success of their previous studio album Ismism (1981), Birds of Prey failed to chart, and was their only album not to have charted anywhere. Two singles were released from the album: "Save a Mountain for Me" and "Samson", both of which also failed to chart.
The album was reissued in 2004 as Birds of Prey... Plus with "Welcome to Breakfast Television" (b-side to "Save A Mountain For Me"), "Samson (Dance Mix)" and non-album single "Golden Boy" as bonus tracks.
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, critic Dave Thompson deemed the album "the least successful inclusion in the Godley & Creme catalog", and called it "a major disappointment".[4]