Osprey
The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a fish-eating raptor found on every continent but Antarctica. It plunges feet-first into water and carries its catch headfirst like a torpedo.
The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a fish-eating raptor found on every continent but Antarctica. It plunges feet-first into water and carries its catch headfirst like a torpedo.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Osprey in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Built to Catch Fish
The osprey has spiny pads on its feet that help it grip slippery fish, and an outer toe that can swivel backward to hold prey with two toes in front and two behind. Nostrils close during the dive.
Long Migrations
Northern ospreys migrate to Africa or South America each winter, with satellite tracking following individuals over thousands of kilometers. They return to the same nest each year.
Recovery from DDT
Like other fish-eating birds, ospreys were hit by DDT, and numbers have since rebounded. They readily use artificial nest platforms. See Bald Eagle.
Osprey at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pandion haliaetus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Pandionidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Brown-and-white fish-hunting raptor with a dark eye stripe; a reversible outer toe and spiny foot pads grip slippery fish. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021 |
| Family | Pandionidae |
| Diet | Almost entirely fish |
See Also
- Bald Eagle — a competitor for fish
- Peregrine Falcon — another worldwide raptor