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Osprey (Fish Hawk) in flight
Pandion haliaetus
27.9268, -82.1588
Field Notes
Description:
The Osprey is a large fish-eating hawk with a white-crested head, yellow eyes, a white underside, and a dark brown back. It has a wingspan of up to 6 feet. Ospreys search for fish by flying in steady beats, with their wings partially bowed.They are often seen circling high in the sky over relatively shallow water. Before diving, they hover briefly, then descend, feet first, to grab a fish. I shot off this series as this Osprey was hovering above me.
Habitat:
Ospreys are found in coastal regions or near large areas of open water. In North America, the osprey's summer range includes all of Canada to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest and inland to Wyoming, Utah and western Colorado, with limited populations near the Great Lakes, the central Mississippi River and the mid-Atlantic coast. In winter, the birds migrate to coastal California, the Gulf coast of Texas, Mexico, Central America and South America. The osprey can also be found seasonally in similar habitats in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.
Notes:
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.
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