Ospreys are fish hawks that have brown and white markings on their bellies. Ospreys hunt by flying over the water looking for fish. They hover before diving towards the water, then plunge in feet-first. Mullet are a good prey fish in Florida because they school together, swim in shallow water, and are rich in fat.
Ospreys usually hunt alone, during early morning and late afternoon.
Ospreys that are not parents need to catch about 1 - 3 fish a day. For one thing, the bottoms of their feet have many short spines which help them to hang onto a slimy fish. Many birds have three toes and a thumb, but the osprey can turn his third toe around, so he can have an extra-strong grip with two fingers and two thumbs. Ospreys have extremely sharp talons and a strong hooked beak for tearing fish into bite-sized pieces. They also have very oily feathers which help keep them dry when they splash into the water.