It plunges gracefully and quickly into the water feet first to grab a slippery fish. The fish wiggles and squirms, but the powerful talons, or claws, help to keep the fish from escaping. The bird rises out of the water carrying its prey headfirst. Ospreys can t swim and may drown if their claws get stuck into a large fish.
Osprey are summer residents in Wisconsin.
You may spot one while visiting a wetland, inland lake, or one of the Great Lakes over summer vacation. Ospreys are listed as threatened on Wisconsin s Endangered Species List. Browse on to learn more about the fish hawk. On Crooked Wings Ospreys are large birds with a wingspan of up to 6 feet. They glide through the air on long crooked wings.