The Hebrew word ayyah refers to a bird of prey, most likely the black kite or a species of falcon. It appears in the lists of unclean birds in the Mosaic Law and is noted for its keen sight, as mentioned in Job.
Though ayyah appears rarely in the Old Testament, its mention in Job 28 is theologically significant. When God asks whether the falcon in its keen sight has found the path to wisdom, it illustrates that even the most perceptive creatures in creation cannot discover true wisdom apart from God. The bird was also listed among unclean animals (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14), reminding Israel of boundaries between the holy and profane.