Osprey Osprey Hover over to view. Click to enlarge. Osprey Falconiformes The hawks, eagles, falcons, and allies make up a group known as the diurnal raptors, because they are active during the day. Members of this group typically use their acute vision to catch live vertebrate prey with their strong feet and toes. They vary from medium-sized to large birds and most have an upright posture and strong, short, hooked bills. The New World vultures (not closely related to the Old World vultures) were once classified with the herons and allies, but they have provisionally been grouped with the diurnal raptors on the basis of recent genetic studies. Members of the order Falconiformes in Washington fall into three families: Family: Accipitridae Although this is a large and varied family, its members share many similarities. They are all diurnal hunters and, for the most part, use their sharp vision to locate prey, which they capture with strong feet. Many members of this family are migratory, and they often concentrate along major migration corridors. These migration corridors often follow ridgelines, where the birds ride updrafts to facilitate their journey south.

Like other birds of prey, female hawks et al. are larger than males. Most members of this family are monogamous, and many form long-term pair bonds. Females generally incubate the eggs and brood the young, with some assistance from the male. The male brings food to the nest. Once the young no longer need to be brooded, both parents bring food. Extended parental care is the norm for this group, as it takes a relatively long time for young to learn to hunt. Status: Maps General Description The Osprey is a unique bird that is unmistakable when seen at close range. It is the only species in its family, and it is found worldwide. Its breast and belly are mostly white, with some dark streaks. The white extends out the wings, but the primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers are mottled black-and-white. The back is mostly black or dark brown. The head is distinctive with a white crest, a face bisected by a dark eye-stripe, and yellow eyes. While there is much variation, the female tends to have a streakier breast than the male.

The Osprey's talons are uniquely adapted for catching and carrying fish: their surfaces are rough, and their toes can be held with three forward and one back, or with two forward and two back, an arrangement seen in owls but not in other diurnal raptors. In flight, they are most often confused with gulls because of their long wings, which are bent at the wrist. However Ospreys have a bounce to their flight that gulls lack. Habitat Ospreys live near rivers, estuaries, salt marshes, lakes, reservoirs, and other large bodies of water. They are rare along rivers in the shrub-steppe zone, as they prefer water surrounded by forested habitat. They can be found near fresh or salt water, as long as the water can sustain medium-sized fish. Behavior Ospreys hover over the water, plunging feet first when they spot prey. They fly with slow wing-beats interspersed with glides. Ospreys form pair bonds through aerial flight displays and courtship feeding. Diet The vast majority of the Osprey's diet is fish, typically 5-16 inches in size.

Only occasionally, when fish aren't available, will the Osprey eat small mammals, birds, or reptiles. However, the Osprey is highly specialized for eating fish and does not stray from this diet unless necessary. When it catches a fish, the Osprey usually flies with it held headfirst. Nesting Ospreys build large nests near water, on top of dead trees or artificial structures that are similar to dead trees, such as utility or nesting poles. Nests are made of branches, sticks, and twigs, lined with smaller twigs, grasses, bark, moss, fish bones, and other material. They will reuse nests year after year and continue to add sticks each year, ending up with a huge nest. Nests may be more than seven feet across and over five feet deep. The female typically lays 3 eggs, although clutch sizes between 2 and 4 eggs are normal. Both members of the pair incubate the eggs for 38-43 days. After the young hatch, the female stays with them, and the male brings food. Once the young can be left alone, both parents provide food. The young do not fledge until they are 44-59 days old.

Migration Status Ospreys are migratory, the majority wintering south of the US border. Most reports of Ospreys wintering in Washington are likely to be misidentifications of sub-adult bald eagles. Conservation Status The Osprey suffered great declines in the past century as a result of DDT and other eggshell-thinning pesticides. Since the ban of DDT in 1972, the Osprey has made, and continues to make, a strong comeback in much of North America. Range expansion into formerly occupied areas has been slow due to their strong philopatry to nesting areas. Artificial nest platforms have significantly increased nesting in many areas. The Breeding Bird Survey has reported a significant increase in the Osprey population in Washington. When and Where to Find in Washington Ospreys are common near large bodies of water at lower elevations throughout Washington. They generally return to Washington in late March or early April; most of the population leaves in August or September. They rarely nest in the Columbia Basin, but are found along the Yakima and Walla Walla Rivers.

The greatest abundance of nesting Ospreys in Washington is on the Pend Oreille River, where 22 nests were reportedly visible from a single viewing spot in Usk (Pend Orielle County), and the Everett waterfront. Click here to visit this species' account and breeding-season distribution map in Sound to Sage , Seattle Audubon's on-line breeding bird atlas of Island, King, Kitsap, and Kittitas Counties. Abundance Ospreys, Osprey Pictures, Osprey Facts - National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. Ospreys are superb fishers and indeed eat little else—fish make up some 99 percent of their diet. Because of this appetite, these birds can be found near ponds, rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways around the world. Ospreys hunt by diving to the water's surface from some 30 to 100 feet (9 to 30 meters) up. They have gripping pads on their feet to help them pluck fish from the water with their curved claws and carry them for great distances. In flight, ospreys will orient the fish headfirst to ease wind resistance.

Ospreys are sometimes confused with bald eagles, but can be identified by their white underparts. Their white heads also have a distinctive black eyestripe that goes down the side of their faces. Eagles and ospreys frequent similar habitats and sometimes battle for food. Eagles often force osprey to drop fish that they have caught and steal them in midair. Human habitat is sometimes an aid to the osprey. The birds happily build large stick-and-sod nests on telephone poles, channel markers, and other such locations. Artificial nesting platforms are common in areas where preservationists are working to reestablish the birds. North American osprey populations became endangered in the 1950s due to chemical pollutants such as DDT, which thinned their eggshells and hampered reproduction. Ospreys have rebounded significantly in recent decades, though they remain scarce in some locales. Most ospreys are migratory birds that breed in the north and migrate south for the winter. They lay eggs (typically three), which both parents help to incubate. Osprey eggs don't hatch all at once, but are staggered in time so that some siblings are older and more dominant.

When food is scarce these stronger birds may take it all and leave their siblings to starve. Osprey, Life History, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Smaller than a Bald Eagle; larger and longer-winged than a Red-tailed Hawk. Other Names Gavilán pescador (Spanish) Cool Facts An Osprey may log more than 160,000 migration miles during its 15-to-20-year lifetime. Scientists track Ospreys by strapping lightweight satellite transmitters to the birds’ backs. The devices pinpoint an Osprey's location to within a few hundred yards and last for 2-3 years. During 13 days in 2008, one Osprey flew 2,700 miles —from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to French Guiana, South America. Ospreys are unusual among hawks in possessing a reversible outer toe that allows them to grasp with two toes in front and two behind. Barbed pads on the soles of the birds' feet help them grip slippery fish. When flying with prey, an Osprey lines up its catch head first for less wind resistance. Ospreys are excellent anglers.

Over several studies, Ospreys caught fish on at least 1 in every 4 dives, with success rates sometimes as high as 70 percent. The average time they spent hunting before making a catch was about 12 minutes—something to think about next time you throw your line in the water. The Osprey readily builds its nest on manmade structures, such as telephone poles, channel markers, duck blinds, and nest platforms designed especially for it. Such platforms have become an important tool in reestablishing Ospreys in areas where they had disappeared. In some areas nests are placed almost exclusively on artificial structures. Osprey eggs do not hatch all at once. Rather, the first chick emerges up to five days before the last one. The older hatchling dominates its younger siblings, and can monopolize the food brought by the parents. If food is abundant, chicks share meals in relative harmony; in times of scarcity, younger ones may starve to death. The name "Osprey" made its first appearance around 1460, via the Medieval Latin phrase for "bird of prey" (avis prede).

Some wordsmiths trace the name even further back, to the Latin for "bone-breaker"—ossifragus. The oldest known Osprey was at least 25 years, 2 months old, and lived in Virginia. Habitat Lake/Pond Unable to dive to more than about three feet below the water's surface, Ospreys gravitate toward shallow fishing grounds, frequenting deep water only where fish school near the surface. Ospreys nest in a wide variety of locations, from Alaska to New England, Montana to Mexico, Carolina to California; their habitat includes almost any expanse of shallow, fish-filled water, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, swamps, and marshes. Whatever the location, Osprey nesting habitat must include an adequate supply of accessible fish within a maximum of about 12 miles of the nest; open, usually elevated nest sites free from predatory mammals such as raccoons, and a long enough ice-free season to allow the young to fledge. Food Fish The Osprey is the only hawk on the continent that eats almost exclusively live fish.

In North America, more than 80 species of live fresh- and saltwater fish account for 99 percent of the Osprey’s diet. Captured fish usually measure about 6–13 inches in length and weigh one-third to two-thirds of a pound. The largest catch on record weighed about 2.5 pounds. On very rare occasions, Ospreys have been observed feeding on fish carcasses or on birds, snakes, voles, squirrels, muskrats, and salamanders. Ospreys probably get most of the water they need from the flesh of their prey, although there are reports of adults drinking on hot days. Behavior Aerial Dive Adept at soaring and diving but not as maneuverable as other hawks, Ospreys keep to open areas, flying with stiff wingbeats in a steady, rowing motion. Primarily solitary birds, they usually roost alone or in small winter flocks of six to ten. Nesting Ospreys defend only the immediate area around their nest rather than a larger territory; they vigorously chase other Ospreys that encroach on their nesting areas.

In breeding season, males perform an aerial "sky-dance," sometimes called "fish-flight." With dangling legs, often clasping a fish or nesting material in his talons, the male alternates periods of hovering with slow, shallow swoops as high as 600 feet or more above the nest site. Sustaining this display for 10 minutes or more, he utters repeated screaming calls while gradually descending in an undulating fashion to the nest. status via IUCN Least Concern Ospreys are a conservation success story and overall their populations grew by 2.5% per year from 1966 to 2014, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 500,000 with 21% spending some part of the year in the U.S., 28% in Canada, and 3% in Mexico. The species rates a 7 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. Osprey is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List . The species' decline was halted by pesticide bans and the construction of artificial nest sites.

Osprey numbers crashed in the early 1950s to 1970s, when pesticides poisoned the birds and thinned their eggshells. Along the coast between New York City and Boston, for example, about 90 percent of breeding pairs disappeared. Osprey studies provided key support for wider legal arguments against the use of persistent pesticides. After the 1972 U.S. DDT ban, populations rebounded, and the Osprey became a conservation success symbol. But Ospreys are still listed as endangered or threatened in some states—especially inland, where pesticides decimated or extirpated many populations. As natural nest sites have succumbed to tree removal and shoreline development, specially constructed nest platforms and other structures such as channel markers and utility poles have become vital to the Osprey’s recovery. Sadly, a growing cause of death for Ospreys is entanglement at the nest: the adults incorporate baling twine and other discarded lines into their nests; these can end up wrapped around a chick's feet and injure it or keep it from leaving the nest. Back to Top Credits Poole, A. F., R. O. Bierregaard, and M. S.

Martell. 2002. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) . In The Birds of North America, No. 683 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America Online, Ithaca, New York. Dunne, P. 2006. Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion. Houghton Mifflin, New York. North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2014. State of the Birds 2014 Report . U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC. View dynamic map of eBird sightings Migration Resident to long-distance migrant. Most Ospreys that breed in North America migrate to Central and South America for the winter, with migration routes following broad swaths of the eastern, interior, and western U.S. A few Ospreys overwinter in the southernmost United States, including parts of Florida and California. Backyard Tips Consider putting up a nest platform to attract a breeding pair. Make sure you put it up well before breeding season. You'll find plans for building a nest structure of the appropriate size on our All About Birdhouses site.

Find This Bird Near open water with an abundant supply of fish, listen for the Osprey’s whistling or chirping calls overhead, or look for this bird's distinctive flight profile and heavy wingbeats. From spring into fall, a boat or raft on a lake or river can provide an especially good vantage point. Scan treetops and other high spots along the shore for perched adults and untidy stick nests piled atop a platform, pole, or snag out in the open. You Might Also Like Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) - also commonly referred to as "Seahawk", Fish Hawk or Fish Eagle -- is a long-winged, medium-sized, fish-eating raptor with a worldwide distribution. It is found in temperate and tropical regions of all continents except Antarctica; although in South America it only occurs as a non-breeding migrant. In North America, there are amongst the larger bird of prey . They generally breed in temperate climates and winter in the tropics; and occur in areas with shallow water, both fresh and salt, with abundant fish.

Even though it nests near water, the Osprey is not a sea-eagle . Their typical lifespan is 7–10 years, though some have lived 20–25 years. The oldest European osprey on record lived to be over 30 years of age. Alternate (Global) Names Afrikaans: Visvalk ...Czech: orlovec øíèní, Orlovec rícní, Orlovec říční, Orlovec říčný ...Danish: Fiskeørn ... German: Fischadler ... Spanish: Águila calzada, Águila de Mar, Aguila Pescadora, Águila Pescadora, Áquila pescadora, Gavilán Pescador, Guincho ... Finnish: kalasääski, Sääksi ...French: Aigle botté, Aigle pêcheur, Balbuzard, Balbuzard fluviatile, Balbuzard pêcheur ...

Irish: Coirneach, Iascaire coirneach ...Indonesian: Elang ikan, Elang laut burik, Elang Tiram, Kwéa ... Italian: Falco pescatore ... Japanese: misago, Shokyu, Su-dori, Uo-taka ... Dutch: Visarend ...Portuguese: águia pesqueira, Aguia-pescadora, Águia-pescadora, Águia-pesqueira, caripira, gavião-caipira, gavião-caripira, gavião-do-mar, gavião-papa-peixe, gavião-pescador, guincho ... Russian: Skopa, Скопа ... Swedish: Fiskgjuse ...Turkish: Balık kartalı, balyk kartaly ... Chinese: [e], [yu-ying], 魚鷹, 鱼鹰, 鶚(魚鷹), 鹗 Interesting Facts Ospreys in many ways resemble Bald Eagles , but Ospreys can easily be identified by their white under plumage.

Eagles and ospreys are often found in similar habitats and eagles have been observed forcing ospreys to drop the fish that they have caught so that they can steal them in midair. Unlike Bald Eagles , Ospreys can become completely submerged during a dive into water and are still able to fly away with their prey. Their oily and dense plumage provides water proofing. They can dive up to 3 feet or 1 meter below the water surface. The Osprey is the only raptor (bird of prey) with a reversible outer toe, which allows it to hold on to its prey with two toes in front and two behind. The underside of the osprey foot is covered with spines, called spicules, which allow it to hold onto slippery fish. Often, the osprey will aerodynamically position a fish headfirst in its talons (claws) before returning to the feeding perch or the nest. Ospreys generally pair for life, but will 'divorce" if a mating is unsuccessful. The female chooses her mate based on the quality and location of his nest.

Distribution / Range The osprey is found in the following countries: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Armenia; Aruba; Australia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bahamas; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Barbados; Belarus; Belgium; Belize; Benin; Bhutan; Bolivia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Cape Verde; Cayman Islands; Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; China; Colombia; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cuba; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Djibouti; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Estonia; Ethiopia; Finland; France; French Guiana; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guam; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica;

 Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Latvia; Lesotho; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Malawi; Malaysia; Mali; Malta; Martinique; Mauritania; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of; Moldova; Monaco; Mongolia; Montenegro; Montserrat; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Netherlands; Netherlands Antilles; New Caledonia; Nicaragua; Niger; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands; Norway; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sao Tomé and Principe; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Slovakia; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Suriname; Swaziland; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan, Province

 of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Turks and Caicos Islands; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Uzbekistan; Venezuela; Vietnam; British and United States Virgin Islands; Western Sahara; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe In North America, they breed from Alaska, through north-central Canada, and Newfoundland south to Arizona and New Mexico and along the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.

They winter from the southern United States south to South America. The ospreys are most numerous in Florida. In New Hampshire, they are listed as a threatened species due to declines in their numbers in recent years. Migration Ospreys generally migrate in flocks of 8 to 10. Females tend to migrate earlier. Even though most of the traveling will be done during the daytime, they may fly at night - particularly when crossing over water. They fly on average 160 - 170 miles (260–280 km) a day with a maximum of 265 miles or 430 km a day. American and Canadian Ospreys breed from Alaska and Newfoundland south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. They winter further south from the southern United States through to Argentina in South America. However, some remain in the southern US states, such as Florida and California. European Ospreys breed throughout Europe north into Scandinavia and Scotland, though not Iceland. They mostly winter in North Africa; but some also winter in South Asia. An Osprey ringed in Norway was recovered in western India. Australasian Ospreys tend to be resident (non-migratory).

In Australia, they are found patchily around the coastline, though there are non-breeding visitors to eastern Victoria and Tasmania and the Bismarck Islands, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia . They are uncommon to fairly common winter visitors to all parts of South Asia, and Southeast Asia from Myanmar through to Indochina and southern China, Indonesia , Malaysia and the Philippines . The Ospreys found in Singapore may migrate north to breed, but some are seen year-round. These are likely to be either immature birds or non-breeding adults. Habitat The Ospreys tolerate a wide range of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of shallow water with an adequate food supply, including temperate lakes, rivers, tropical coastal waters, boreal forest ponds and desert salt-flat lagoons. They prefer habitat with tall trees or snags for nesting. Subspecies, Distribution and Identification: Ospreys are unusual insofar as a single species occurs nearly worldwide. There are four generally recognized subspecies although the subspecies are not unequivocally separable as differences are minor. Some authorities only acknowledge the first two.

Pandion haliaetus haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Nominate Race Range: Eurasia. Occurs in Scandinavia east to Japan and south to Mediterranean, Red Sea and Cape Verde Islands. They winter south to South Africa, India, west Indonesia and the Philippines. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (Gmelin, 1788) Range: North America - Labrador west to Alaska and south to Florida and Arizona. Winter south to Peru, Chile and southern Brazil. Large nesting populations are also found in coastal areas of northwestern Mexico (Sonora and Baja) - these osprey populations show plumage characteristics in between these nominate and carolinensis subspecies. ID: Larger. Darker plumage. Has a paler chest than nominate race and a more pronounced chest band. Darker eyeline. Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi (Maynard, 1887) Range: Found in the Caribbean islands, including Bahamas, Cuba and Belize. Non-migratory. ID: Very pale head and chest compared to nominate race, with only a weak eye mask.

Pandion haliaetus cristatus (Vieillot, 1816) Range: Found around the coastline of, and along some large rivers within Australia east to New Caledonia and south Tasmania ; and north through New Guinea to Java and Sulawesi. Non-migratory. ID: The smallest subspecies [Pandion haliaetus melvillensis]- not an officially recognized subspecies. Probably invalid. Range: Indonesia to northern Australia ID: Resembles the cristatus subspecies They have a short brown tail with a number of medium-sized white bands. Feet Their feet are equipped with spiny scales and long talons (claws) that give them a firm grip on slippery fish. Unlike other raptors, the Osprey has four equal toes. The outer one is reversible, enabling the bird to seize its prey with two toes pointing forwards and two pointing backwards. Wings and Flight Ospreys have long, narrow, arched wings with four long "finger" feathers (and a shorter fifth). The wings taper to a rounded tip. The upper wing feathers are brown-black. The flight feathers below are white barred with black.

Ospreys are able to soar on wind currents, however, most of their flight is "active" - with wings flapping. It flies with a distinct bend in its wing at the "elbow," giving it a "gull-like" appearance. Immature Description The juveniles resemble the adult, but it has streaked feathers on the head. There is barring on the underwings and flight feathers. The dark back feathers are white-tipped. They have fewer markings on chest. Their eyes are orange. Reproduction / Nesting / Breeding Ospreys are of breeding age when they are about 3 - 5 years old. However, in the absence of suitable nesting sites, they may delay breeding until they are 5 - 7 years old. Breeding Season The breeding season varies according to latitude. USA: In Florida, they nest from January - April; although eggs have been found as early as December. Further north in the United States, they start later - with most nesting activities occurring from March - August. Australia: In Southern Australia, they breed from September - October; in northern Australia from April - July.

Mating / Pairing The male osprey courts the female with aerial acrobatics and by presenting her with food or nesting material, accompanied by a courtship call. The male feeds the female throughout the nesting season, even before nesting, Ospreys are generally monogamous and mate for life; however, in some rare instances, polyandry has been observed (one female with several mates). Nesting Sites The males select the nesting site, which is usually nest within 2 - 3 miles (3 - 5 km) of a shallow water body, such as salt marshes, swamps (mangrove, cypress), streams, shorelines, islands, freshwater lakes, rivers or reservoirs. They usually nest on tall dead or open-topped trees with flat tops. They have also constructed their nests on cliffs, rocks or, occasionally, on flat ground. Some ospreys nest in colonies. Ospreys may also take advantage of man-made structures, such as utility poles, pylons and towers. Many also accept specially designed osprey nest platforms that are provided for them to encourage Osprey breeding activities.

This conservation measure was instrumental in helping the osprey recover from the drastic population reductions seen in the 1950s and '60s caused by common use of pesticides at that time. Nests Osprey pairs build and reuse the same nest year after year for raising chicks as well as a home base for adults. The large Osprey nest is typically situated 10 - 60 feet or 3 - 18 m off the ground. It is a bulky mass of coarse sticks, driftwood and other debris lined with seaweed, bark, sod, vines, grass and other available soft materials - even plastic bags, hula hoops, rag dolls or toy boats. There is a shallow indentation in the middle into which the eggs are eventually laid. If the pair has no nest, they both collect the sticks and grasses to build one. As they return each year, they will add to the existing nest, undertaking any necessary repairs and making the nest bigger and stronger. An old osprey nest can weigh up to 1,000 lbs. Eggs and Incubation The average clutch consists of 3 eggs, but 1 to 4 eggs are possible.

The eggs are creamy white to cinnamon with dark brown or reddish-brown spots. The eggs are slightly larger than chicken eggs, measuring about 6.2 x 4.5 cm (2.4 x 1.8 in) in diameter and weighing about 65 g (2.4 oz). Both the male and the female brood the eggs for about 5 - 6 weeks; however, the female does most of it and she relies on the male to feed her during this time. Raising the Young The chicks - also commonly referred to as eyas - usually hatch sequentially, 1 - 5 days apart. The hatchlings weigh only 50 - 60 g or 2 oz. They are covered with down and their eyes are open. Initially, they are only capable of limited motion. Both parents feed the young; but the male does most of it, as the female remains in the nest to look after the chicks and to protect them from predators. The returning male will often give the most nutritious parts of fish to his mate and the chicks; while he contends himself with the head and tail of a fish. At those times when food isn't abundant, only the oldest or two older chicks survive.

The youngest and smallest chicks usually can't compete with their larger siblings and many of them die of starvation. The young ospreys fledge (leave the nest) when they are about 8 to 10 weeks old (sometimes as early as 6 weeks). Ten to fifteen days before fledging, the young ospreys practice flapping their wings, which causes them to become stronger. They are also observed jumping up and down on the nest until a wind gust carries them over the edge. Their parents may encourage them to take the first leap by tossing a fish near their young. The young may continue to be fed by their parents for another two months after fledging. Diet / Feeding (Scroll down for Movie) Ospreys typically hunt alone in the early morning or late afternoon. This could be due to the fact that the light is best for sighting underwater prey; although this feeding pattern is shared with most other bird species. Ospreys rarely hunt over the open sea. They generally prefer calm shallow waters with trees or structures for perching. They are often observed feeding in estuaries, mangroves, freshwater wetlands and man-made habitats, to include reservoirs, rice fields and irrigation canals. They avoid mountainous regions.

Their diet consists almost exclusively (99+%) of fish, including flounder, bullhead, and perch. They favor fish that weigh 150–300 g (5 - 10 oz) and are about 25 - 35 cm (10 - 14 in) long; however, they will accept fish that weigh from 50 to 2000 g (2 - 68 oz). They usually catch about 1 - 3 fish a day; when raising 2 - 3 chicks, they have to catch 6 - 8 fish a day to provide adequate nutrition for them. Occasionally, they eat frog, snake, small reptiles, other birds, and mammals, such as rodents, rabbits and hares. Ospreys are not scavengers and usually only eat live fish; although they might accept the occasional dead fish they come across. When hunting, the Osprey flies about 10–40 meters (32–130 ft) above the water, searching for fish near the water's surface.

When a fish is sighted, the Osprey first hovers of the water and then plunges from the air into the water feet first using a reversible front talon and foot pads with small impaling spines that allow it to easily grasp slippery fish. In preparation for its way back to its feeding perch, the Osprey uses its reversible outer toe to grip and reorient the fish in its claws so that its head is pointed forward - this makes the fish more aerodynamic and easier to carry. It sometimes happens that an Osprey captures a fish that is too big to carry. If their talons (claws) get stuck and the osprey can't release the fish, it will dry to drag the fish to shore. If that fails, Ospreys have been known to be pulled under the water by the weight of a fish and drown.

The Osprey has special adaptations for its fish diet, such as well adapted vision that allows it to detect underwater objects from the air; closable nostrils that keep out water during their dives; backwards facing rough, short spines on the talons (claws) which act as barbs to help hang onto a slimy fish; the feet have two toes pointing backwards (most birds only have one toe facing backwards - also facilitates grabbing and holding onto fish. its oily and dense feathers provide water proofing as they dive into water; but this also makes them buoyant, so they can't go deeper than about 3 feet or 1m below the water surface; their strong hooked beak allows them to easily tear fish into bite-sized pieces. Calls / Vocalizations Their calls are described as a series of sharp cheep, cheep or yewk, yewk. If alarmed or disturbed - particularly near their nests, their call is a frenzied cheereek. The female's voice consists of plaintive whistles. Status / Conservation The Osprey's global population is estimated at 460,000 individuals. Due to conservation efforts, the Ospreys have made significant recoveries.

Even though they are not currently considered endangered or threatened under U.S. Endangered Species Act, they are protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which makes it illegal for people to "take" migratory birds, their eggs, feathers or nests. Threats Osprey Osprey A North American Osprey preparing to dive. Scientific classification Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a medium large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. It occurs in all continents except Antarctica, but in South America only as a non-breeding migrant . It is often known by other colloquial names such as fishhawk, seahawk or Fish Eagle. An unusual bird with no close relatives, it is the only living species of the genus Pandion, which is in turn the only genus in the bird family Pandionidae.

Contents 7 External links Description The Osprey is 52-60 centimetres (20.5-23.6 in) long with a 152-167 cm (5-5.5 ft) wingspan. It has mainly white underparts and head, apart from a dark mask through the eye, and fairly uniformly brown upperparts. Its short tail and long, narrow wings with four long "finger" feathers (and a shorter fifth) give it a very distinctive appearance. Juvenile birds are readily identified by the buff fringes to the upperpart plumage, buff tone to the underparts, and streaked crown. By spring, wear on the upperparts makes barring on the underwings and flight feathers a better indicator of young birds. Adult males can be distinguished from females from their slimmer bodies and narrower wings. They also have a weaker or non-existent breast band than the female, and more uniformly pale underwing coverts. It is straightforward to sex a breeding pair, but harder with individual birds. In flight, Ospreys have arched wings and drooping "hands", giving them a diagnostic gull-like appearance.

The call is a series of sharp whistles, cheep, cheep, or yewk, yewk. Near the nest, a frenzied cheereek! Classification The Osprey differs in several respects from the other diurnal birds of prey, and has always presented something of a riddle to taxonomists. Here it is treated as the sole member of the family Pandionidae, and the family listed in its traditional place as part of the order Falconiformes. Other schemes place it alongside the hawks and eagles in the family Accipitridaeï¿½which itself can be regarded as making up the bulk of the order Accipitriformes or else be lumped with the Falconidae into Falconiformes. The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy has placed it together with the other diurnal raptors in a greatly enlarged Ciconiiformes, but this has more recently turned out to result in an unnatural paraphyletic classification. Subspecies The Australasian Osprey is the most distinctive subspecies. There are four generally recognised subspecies, although differences are small, and ITIS only lists the first two. P. h.

haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) Eurasia P. h. carolinensis (Gmelin, 1788), North America. This form has a paler breast than nominate haliaetus. P. h. ridgwayi Maynard, 1887, Caribbean islands. This form has a very pale head and breast compared to nominate haliaetus, with only a weak eye mask. It is non-migratory. P. h. cristatus (Vieillot, 1816), Australasia. The smallest subspecies, also non-migratory Ospreys are unusual insofar as a single species occurs nearly worldwide. Even the few subspecies are not unequivocally separable. The reason is apparently that these birds are usually migratory, enabling individuals from populations which breed far apart to meet in the winter quarters, form pairs and thus exchange genetic information between populations. Furthermore, Ospreys are long-lived birds which take a considerable time to reach maturity, which slows down the rate of speciation. Prehistoric species There were several prehistoric species of osprey which have been described from fossils : Pandion sp.

(Early Oligocene of Fayyum, Egypt) Pandion homalopteron (Middle Miocene of California, USA) Pandion lovensis (Late Miocene of Florida, USA) Pandion sp. (Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, USA) P. homalopteron was very similar to the living species and possibly even its direct ancestor. However, the biogeography of the fossil ospreys has not been researched well enough to suggest a place where the modern Osprey originated. The genus apparently first appeared in the Mediterranean region, but this is not certain. Behaviour Diet The Osprey is particularly well adapted to its fish diet, with reversible outer toes, closable nostrils to keep out water during dives, and backwards facing scales on the talons which act as barbs to help hold its catch. It locates its prey from the air, often hovering prior to plunging feet-first into the water to seize a fish. As it rises back into flight the fish is turned head forward to reduce drag. The 'barbed' talons are such effective tools for grasping fish that, on occasion, an Osprey may be unable to release a fish that is heavier than expected.

This can cause the Osprey to be pulled into the water, where it may either swim to safety or succumb to hypothermia and drown. Nesting The Osprey breeds by freshwater lakes, and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. The nest is a large heap of sticks built in trees, rocky outcrops, telephone poles or artificial platforms. In some regions with high Osprey densities, such as Chesapeake Bay, USA, most Ospreys do not start breeding until they are five to seven years old. Many of the tall structures they need to build nests on are already taken. If there are no nesting sites available, young Ospreys may be forced to delay breeding. To ease this problem, posts may be erected to provide more sites. Ospreys usually mate for life. In spring they begin a five-month period of partnership to raise their young. Females lay 3ï¿½4 eggs within a month, and rely on the size of the nest to help conserve heat. The eggs are approximately the size of chicken eggs, and cinnamon colored; they are incubated for about 5 weeks to hatching.

The newly-hatched chicks weigh only 50-60 g (2 oz}, but fledge within eight weeks. When food is scarce, the first chicks to hatch are most likely to survive. The typical lifespan is 20-25 years. European breeders winter in Africa. American and Canadian breeders winter in South America, although some stay in the southernmost USA states such as Florida and California. Australasian Ospreys tend not to migrate . Conservation Twenty to thirty years ago, Ospreys in some regions faced possible extinction , because the species could not produce enough young to maintain the population. Since the banning of DDT in many countries in the early 1970s, together with reduced persecution, the Ospreys, as well as other affected bird of prey species have made significant recoveries. Popular culture The Osprey is the official bird of Nova Scotia in Canada and Sudermannia in Sweden. It is the official mascot and team name for the University of North Florida and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. The bird was depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $10 note.

The Osprey is also the mascot of the Christian Falangist Party of America References BirdLife International (2004). Pandion haliaetus . 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern Forsman, The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East, ISBN 0-85661-098-4 Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom and Grant, Collins Bird Guide ISBN 0-00-219728-6 External links Wildlife Field Guide for New Jersey's Endangered and Threatened Species - Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey Adopt Identification The osprey, formally known as the “fish hawk,” is one of New Jersey’s largest raptors. They are well known and highly visible along coastal marshes. The bird is distinguished by its dark underwing patches and the crook at the wrist joint of the long, narrow wing. Adult birds have dark brown body feathers on its back and wings contrasting with their white crown, neck and undersides.

Broad dark stripes appear on either side of the head, running through the eye. The eye color changes from red to orange to yellow as they mature. The tail is light with fine dark bands and a broad terminal bar edged in white. Both sexes have similar plumage. The female is slightly larger than the male and exhibits a more prominent “necklace” of dark feathers on their chest. Osprey’s average wingspan is 63 inches and weighs about 3 pounds. Zoom+ Range of the osprey in New Jersey. Distribution and Habitat The osprey is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, yet its preference for fish requires that it live close to the water. In North America, its range extends from Alaska to Baja California, and along the Atlantic coast from Labrador to Florida. In New Jersey, ospreys nest along the Atlantic Coast from Sandy Hook to Cape May, and along the Delaware Bay and River in Cumberland, Salem, and Gloucester counties. As a result of reintroduction efforts on northern New Jersey lakes, ospreys also nest along the upper Delaware River and their range is expanding in the Meadowlands each year.

Ospreys prefer to build their large stick nests close to water on tall, dead trees, live trees, channel markers, old duck blinds, and telephone poles. More recently, man-made structures placed on the marsh for their nesting have replaced trees and are largely responsible for the recovery of ospreys in the state. Ospreys winter in Florida, the Gulf Coast states, and as far down as Central and northern South America. New Jersey ospreys fitted with satellite transmitters have been tracked to Venezuela and Colombia to Brazil’s Amazon River Basin. The majority of New Jersey birds winter in N. South America. Diet Special adaptations make the osprey exceptional at fishing. Most notable is the bird’s outermost toe, which can reverse to oppose the the other two (most birds grip with three toes in front, and one in back), this attribute is referred to as zygodactyl. It uses this grip to carry fish head first to reduce wind resistance. It has long legs, and its feet and toes are equipped with tiny spines, or spicules, that enable them to grasp slippery fish. The osprey will dive several feet into the water (up to 1 meter), feet first, after fish.

An osprey’s diet consists almost entirely of fish, although occasionally during the breeding season some bird carcasses have been observed near nest sites. Zoom+ A diet of summer flounder is common in New Jersey ospreys. Despite their cryptic coloration, they are an easy catch for an osprey. © Susan Liddle Their diet differs throughout their range and the time of year. Ospreys are opportunistic predators. They hunt on the wing and can hover. They have very keen eyesight and percevie light in the UV spectrum, making some fish with iridescent markings, like flounder, easy prey. During early spring when ospreys return in late March the shad and herring migration is getting underway. Then striped bass begin to move inshore and in summer fluke and bunker are plentiful and are often their main prey items. Life Cycle In New Jersey, ospreys arrive on breeding grounds in late March, usually to the same nests each year, meaning they have a high level of site fidelity. Older more experienced birds arrive first, especially males. Ospreys mate for life and are monogamous. Pairs begin courtship and nest building in early April.

Males perform courtship displays that consist of a high undulating flight, called the "sky dance," sometimes after a successful hunt where he holds a fish or nesting material and calls out with a high pitched whistle like sound. This strengthens their pair bond. Males do 100% of the foraging from courtship until the young fledge. Females do around 70% of the incubation duties. Eggs are laid in mid-April to early May, usually three buff colored, brown spotted eggs. Incubation lasts 32-43 days, and most young hatch in late May. The chicks are born semi-altricial or are helpless and require close parental care. To successfully raise a full clutch of young the male must provide enough fish (sometimes up to 6 lbs. a day!) to feed all the hungry mouths. After a successful hunt he almost always stops at a nearby perch and consumes the head of the fish. If he feeds near the nest with the female on the nest she will beg for food from him. Young birds fledge the nest at 7-8 weeks of age in mid-late July.

Adults continue to feed young in the area of the nest for several weeks while young ospreys learn flying and hunting skills. In late August and early September, ospreys leave New Jersey for their wintering grounds. Look up in August and you might see numerous young osprey learning how to soar and ride thermals! The successful production of young is highly dependent on several factors. Weather plays a huge role in the reproduction of ospreys. Since they rely on fish as their main prey item, high winds and wet weather can have a negative effect on the success of foraging attempts. In years with a wet and cool spring, productivity rates dropped as adults had trouble finding and catching prey. In years with a warm spring and summer, ospreys fair quite well. An adaptation to help control this seasonal changes in their diet is that ospreys exhibit is asyncronous hatching. This is where incubation begins when the first egg is laid (laying occurs in two day intervals), not when the full clutch is laid. This gives the oldest chick the best chance at surviving if food is not plentiful. It is better for a pair to produce one very strong chick than 2-3 meager young.

Finally, their success is also highy dependant on the male's ability to successfully find and catch prey. In general, older males are often more experienced and in turn, can produce more young then at nests with young adults. A pair of ospreys perch on a nest repaired by Conserve Wildlife Foundation staff at Forsythe NWR in early 2012. © Brian Kushner Current Threats, Status, and Conservation Prior to 1950, over 500 osprey nests were found along the New Jersey coastline. By 1974, only about 50 nests remained. Loss of nesting sites and widespread food contamination by persistent pesticides (mostly DDT) caused the birds’ decline in New Jersey and throughout the eastern U.S. Consequently, the osprey was listed as “endangered” by New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife in 1973. Efforts to recover the osprey population began in 1974, when biologists built and installed nest structures in and along the coastal marshes, to replace trees that had been lost to development. Biologists also transferred eggs and chicks from a Maryland population to New Jersey nests that were not producing healthy eggs at the time.

Management efforts were successful in restoring osprey nesting in the state. In 1984 there were 108 nests and sustainable production, leading to the down listing of the osprey to “threatened” status in 1985. By 1990 osprey nests numbered 170, and by 1993 there were 200 nests, a four-fold increase since 1974. Today, there are over 600 nesting pairs. The RSPB: Osprey: Habitat and food Habitat and food Image: Chris Gomersall Ospreys are found in a variety of freshwater, brackish and marine environments. The most important habitat requirement is the presence of ample supplies of medium-sized fish obtainable near the surface of clear unpolluted water. Several birds sometimes congregate at good feeding sites. The osprey is a specialist feeder, relying on medium sized fish, both marine and fresh-water. The bird will fly above the water’s surface to locate fish, sometimes gliding and soaring up to 70 metres high.

The exact catching technique varies with the type of fish, but they all involve a nearly vertical plunge dive with wings half-folded and feet thrown forward at last moment. The fish are caught in talons after a dive to a maximum depth of 1m. The fish is held head first, like a torpedo, when carried to a perch or to the nest. The long, curved talons and the short spines covering the underside of the toes assist with the capture and holding of the fish. The bird is also able to close its nostrils to stop water getting up its nose during a dive. Bird guide Behavioral Characteristics of Montana's Osprey Always faithful (to the nest) In North America, Osprey breed along rivers, lakes, wetlands and coastal marshes. The males typically arrive to the nesting territories before the females. There they claim their nest, which is often the same nest they used previously and/or near to the one they fledged from. Hopefully, the nest has not already been claimed by another species, like the great blue herons, eagles, hawks, geese, owls, gulls, or ravens.

The male osprey puts on a graceful aerial display, ostensibly to stake out his claim and advertise for a mate. He flies sharply up, gaining altitude and beating his wings rapidly. Often, he carries a fish or nest material with him. Then, he hovers with his tail fanned, at several hundred feet. Next, he dives down and quickly ascends—repeating the maneuver several times—often singing with a loud “Creeee!”. The male osprey will perform this often in the few days before the female arrives. Once she arrives however, the frequency of his routine dwindles. While there is evidence that osprey mate for life, it appears that both the male and female returning to the nest has more to do with nest and territory fidelity than pair bonding. However, osprey are typically monogamous, except in the rare case when a male has the agility and ability to defend two nest that are close together. Makin’ whoopie – and adorable osprey chicks Once the female arrives, a period of courtship takes place that will last for up to three weeks. The male brings food to the female. In fact, the more food they get, females are more receptive to breeding.

In this case, the way to her heart really is through her stomach. The pair will spend time together on the nest as well. A male will protect his mate from other males and will ensure his own brood by copulating with her frequently. Copulation is usually preceded by a mating display, from either or both the male and the female. It may occur shortly after the feeding ritual. The female will drop her wings slightly and point her tail up to one side, while the male may spread his wings and depress his tail. Once the first egg is laid, incubation begins. Eggs are laid from one to three days apart and a clutch usually has two to four eggs. The female osprey is primarily responsible for incubation, leaving the eggs only to feed. The male will take over until her return. After 34-40 days, the eggs will hatch. To nest or not to nest The chicks are small enough to be brooded by the female for about ten days. During this time, they are covered in fluffy white down. After that, she will continue to protect the young by shielding them with her wings, and feathers will slowly replace their down.

Once the chicks are three or four weeks old, they will start flapping their wings and will be about 70-80% of the adult size. The mother will then give them room and move to a nearby perch, but continue to guard the nest The father osprey will be the sole hunter for his family for a time. When he delivers a fish to the nest, the female will tear off a piece and feed the nestlings. When the chicks are about six weeks old, the mother can start hunting again and they will start to feed themselves, when a fish is delivered. The first chick to hatch usually establishes dominance and if the food supply is low will often commandeer what is food, at the expense of the younger siblings’ survival. This is common among raptors and is called brood reductions. It ensures the survival of at least one chick, in lean years. Time to fly Young osprey will take their first flight at seven or eight weeks old. Migratory osprey, like those in the Dunrovin nest, will fledge a little earlier than non-migratory osprey. They will spend time practicing and resting near the father’s feeding perch, so they can still be fed.

Two weeks after fledging, they will begin to follow him on hunting trips. Four to eight weeks after fledging, they will begin hunting on their own. They must be able to take care of themselves for their long, solo flight south. Talk about a crash course! Fish, it’s what’s for dinner. Osprey eat fish, fish and more fish. In fact, fish make up 99% of the osprey diet. They are not particular about what fish species they eat—generally they will eat what is most easily accessible. If it’s in shallow water or near the surface of deep water, it could be osprey food. North American Osprey have been known to eat more than 80 different species of fish, but usually there are two or three species that dominate the diet of osprey in a specific area. Osprey, on occasion, have been known to also prey on rodents, rabbits, hares, other birds, and small amphibians and reptiles. One might think that all this time around water would mean that osprey drink the stuff, but they don’t, typically. It has been surmised that their diet of fresh fish gives them enough.

Osprey are not known to cache fish as other species do. While they typically catch fish that weigh 5-10 ounces and are about 10-14 inches in length, they don’t always consume it all, in which case it is either discarded, carried around or left in the nest. The hunt Osprey hunt in flight, it is rare to see them hunt from a perch. But osprey don’t just fly, they dive. Gliding 30-100 feet above the water, osprey use their excellent eyesight to look for fish in the water’s surface. Once they’ve spotted their prey, they hover above it then dive towards the water. At the last moment, before hitting the water, the osprey swings its legs forward and bends its wings back, so that its feet hit the water first. There is often a wild display of splashing and struggling as the bird makes contact. Even though osprey have closable nostrils and thick plumage to protect them during a dive, osprey can’t swim, so they must use their powerful wings to lift out and away from the water with prey in their talons.

If you are lucky enough to see an osprey catch a fish, you will notice that its wing beats are almost horizontal when it is lifting out of the water. This is when some of the greatest acrobatics occur, because once the osprey clears the water with a fish, it may reorient the fish so that it is headfirst—to cut down on wind resistance. Occasionally, you may witness other acrobatics. Osprey and eagles fish in similar habitats and sometimes an eagle will battle an osprey for its catch—forcing the osprey to drop the fish, then catching it in midair, before it hits the water or the ground. The range of lucrative dives is rather broad, as hunting success depends on the skill of the individual bird, weather, and water conditions (like the tide in coastal areas). 24%-74% of an osprey’s dives will result in a caught fish. On a rare occasion, an osprey will drown after getting its talons caught in a fish that is too heavy to lift. Once an osprey succeeds, it takes the fish to their perch, often near the nest, to eat it.

Of course, sometimes they bring it to the nest itself, if they are feeding nestlings. An adult bird will start with the head and work towards the tail. Male osprey are known to eat part of the fish before sharing it with their mates during breeding season.

Question: What constitutes the sole diet of the Osprey?
Answer: FISH