Overview
Osprey: Large raptor, dark brown upperparts contrast with white underparts, faint breast band. Small, white head has dark crown, eyestripe. Dark bill. Wings held at a distinct angle in flight, with underwing showing barred flight feathers and diagnostic dark patches on forewing. Gray legs and feet.
Range and Habitat
Osprey: Worldwide distribution except Antarctica; found near large bodies of water.
Osprey (Pandionidae)
ORDER
There are five bird families in the taxonomic order FALCONIFORMES (pronounced fal-kon-ih-FOR-meez) including the hawks, falcons, vultures, and the Osprey (it should be noted that these birds are alternately classified in an order named ACCIPITRIFORMES (pronounced ak-sip-it-ruh-FOR-meez) by some ornithological authorities).
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The Pandionidae (pronounced pan-dee-ON-ih-dee) is a family with one species in one genus found on all continents except for Antarctica (it should be noted that some authorities consider the Australian subspecies of the Osprey a separate species).
NORTH AMERICA
The sole representative of the Pandionidae, the Osprey, occurs in North America.
KNOWN FOR
The Osprey is most well known for its fishing ability, and large, bulky nests. These large structures built with sticks are used year after year, and are constructed on trees, electric towers, and platforms put up for this purpose.
PHYSICAL
A large bird, the Osprey has long wings, a fairly short tail, and a slightly crested head with a large, sharp beak. The legs are fairly long, and the feet strong with long, sharp talons. The feet also have small barbs on the toes and soles to aid in grasping slippery fish.
COLORATION
The Osprey is mostly white with dark brown upperparts, dark barring on the wings and the tail, a dark line on the face, and short streaks on the chest. Juvenile plumage is similar to that of adults but has a buffy tinge on the breast. The legs of the Osprey are gray and the eyes yellow.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
The Osprey occurs along both coasts in North America and on large inland lakes and rivers. They breed along much of both coasts, in the boreal zone, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific Northwest. During migration, they can occur almost anywhere.
MIGRATION
Populations of the Osprey are both short distance migrants to coasts of the southern United States, and long distance migrants to South America.
HABITS
The Osprey forms pairs during the breeding season but is solitary at other times. These aquatic raptors forage for live fish by flying over and hovering above the water. Once a fish is spotted near the surface, the Osprey folds its wings to dive feet first into the water. After grasping the fish with its talons, the Osprey flies to a roost to eat it.
CONSERVATION
Although severely threatened by the use of DDT (it was the “keystone species” that brought the danger of this chemical to the attention of both Rachel Carson and Roger Tory Peterson) as well as by pollution in the past, thanks to the banning of that pesticide and increased attention being paid to improving the water quality in rivers and lakes, the Osprey in North America is not presently threatened and has healthy populations in much of its range.
INTERESTING FACTS
The Osprey is the only raptor known to feed almost entirely upon live fish. Some of its adaptations for this diet are the ability to reverse the position of one of its forward toes to firmly grasp fish with two toes in the back and two in the front, and holding fish in line with its body while in flight to enable it to fly more efficiently with large prey.