# Osprey (*Pandion haliaetus*) The Osprey is a large bird that loves to fish! It has beautiful brown and white feathers and can be seen near water. Ospreys build big nests high up in trees or on tall poles. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 333 - **Habitat:** Near lakes, rivers, and oceans - **Also known as:** Fish Hawk, Sea Hawk ![Osprey](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424682/objects/4598.jpg) ## Appearance The Osprey is a large raptor with dark brown upperparts and crisp white underparts, featuring a distinctive dark eye-stripe across a white head. Its wings show a characteristic M-shape in flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Pandionidae - **Genus:** Pandion ## Interesting facts - An Osprey can twist a captured fish mid-air to fly with it head-first! - Ospreys are found on every continent except icy Antarctica! - Some Ospreys migrate over 6,000 miles each year, crossing continents! - Their huge stick nests can sometimes grow taller than an adult person! ## Special abilities - **Grasping Claws:** Osprey has spiky pads on its feet and reversible outer toes that help them grip slippery fish. - **Precision Dive:** Osprey can plunge feet-first into water from great heights to snatch fish, often fully submerging. - **Waterproof Plunge:** Osprey has dense, oily feathers that help them shed water quickly after diving, allowing immediate flight. - **Aerodynamic Carry:** Osprey carries caught fish head-first in flight, reducing wind resistance and making transport easier. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-66 cm - **Wingspan:** 145-170 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-2.1 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 34-37 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These magnificent raptors are almost entirely fish-eaters, masterfully catching their prey from water. - **Primary Foods:** Perch, Trout, Carp, Mullet, Pike - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) — A common prey item in freshwater habitats. - **Hunts:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Often caught in lakes and slow-moving rivers. - **Eaten by:** [Raccoon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/raccoon) (*Procyon lotor*) — Opportunistically preys on eggs and chicks in unattended nests. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Ospreys are not dangerous to people. Just enjoy watching them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Osprey? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Osprey? 50-66 cm ### What is Osprey's wingspan? 145-170 cm ### How much does Osprey weigh? 0.9-2.1 kg ### How long does Osprey live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Osprey move? 80 km/h ### What does Osprey eat? These magnificent raptors are almost entirely fish-eaters, masterfully catching their prey from water. ### Where is Osprey usually found? Near lakes, rivers, and oceans ## Where to spot - [Alabama City Wall Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alabama-city-wall-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Ambler Heights Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ambler-heights-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Atchison Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atchison-village) — California, US · Neighborhood - [Bellevue Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bellevue-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Osprey](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/osprey) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Osprey: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osprey)