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Osprey
last update: Apr 21, 2009 11:21 AM
Latin name: Pandion haliaetus
Population: 460,000 individuals
Cites classified: Least Concern
Where found: Circumpolar from northern Scandinavia across Eurasia but south of the Arctic Circle and in North America from Yukon Territory across Canada to Labrador south of the tree line. Outside the Arctic region it is found in northern North America, northern Europe, central Russia, southern Asia, Indonesia, and Australia
Age/ life expectancy: 26 years
Wingspan: 150-170 cm
Length: 50-60 cm
Weight: 1.2-1.7 kg
Mating/Breeding: 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.
Eggs: 2-3 cream/red-brown eggs
Hibernation: migrates south to Africa, southern Asia, southern US, Mexico, and South America
Hunting Habits: flaps or glides across the water while searching for prey then dives to snatch fish from the surface or sub-surface
Feed on: primarily fish, but also waterfowl, amphibians, and reptiles
Predators: owls, raccoons, crocodiles, bald eagles
Colour/Body: 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.
Subspecies: P. h. haliaetus: Eurasia; P. h. carolinensis: North America. This form is larger, darker bodied and has a paler breast than nominate haliaetus; P. h. ridgwayi: Caribbean islands. This form has a very pale head and breast compared with nominate haliaetus, with only a weak eye mask. It is non-migratory. Its scientific name commemorates American ornithologist Robert Ridgway; P. h. cristatus: coastline and some large rivers of Australia and Tasmania. The smallest subspecies, also non-migratory.
Interesting Trivia:
- Osprey eggs do not hatch all at once, but instead the first chick hatches out up to five days before the last one. The older chick dominates its younger siblings, and can monopolize the food brought by the parents. If food is abundant, little aggression is seen amongst the chicks, but if food is limited, the younger chicks often starve.
