Species · GBIF taxon 2480726
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusAlso known as Sea Hawk, River Hawk, Fish Hawk
Ospreys are superb anglers, plunging feet-first into the water from heights of up to forty meters to snatch fish with specialized, barbed footpads. These raptors build massive stick nests atop dead trees, utility poles, and dedicated nesting platforms, often returning to the same site year after year. Their high-pitched, whistling calls are a characteristic sound of healthy waterways across nearly every continent.
RaptorPiscivorousMigratory
1 / 7- diet
- Almost exclusively fish
- family
- Pandionidae
- threats
- Habitat destruction, pesticide contamination, and entanglement in discarded fishing line
- life Span
- 15 to 20 years in the wild
LC
Equipped with sharp talons; observe nests from a respectful distance to avoid defensive behavior.
Nesting pairs are highly sensitive to human disturbance, which can cause them to abandon their eggs or chicks.
Maintain a distance of at least one hundred meters from active nests and use binoculars for viewing.- Look Up: Scan tall structures, dead trees, and artificial nesting platforms near water bodies for their bulky stick nests.
- Watch the Hunt: Look for their distinctive M-shaped wing silhouette as they hover over water before diving.
- Keep Distance: Avoid approaching nesting sites during the spring breeding season to prevent parent birds from abandoning their eggs.