Balaji Krishnan Photography
BKP0960-Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus)
The Osprey or more specifically the Western Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus) — also called Sea Hawk, River Hawk, and Fish Hawk — is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range.
It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.
Ospreys search for fish by flying on steady wingbeats and bowed wings or circling high in the sky over relatively shallow water. They often hover briefly before diving, feet first, to grab a fish.
After an osprey catches a fish, it arranges its feet to turn the fish so it faces head-first. This reduces aerodynamic drag, making the fish easier to carry as the osprey flies off to its nest or another perch to eat the fish.
Bald Eagles sometimes chase Ospreys and force them to drop their catch.
BKP0960-Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus)
The Osprey or more specifically the Western Osprey (Pandion Haliaetus) — also called Sea Hawk, River Hawk, and Fish Hawk — is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range.
It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.
Ospreys search for fish by flying on steady wingbeats and bowed wings or circling high in the sky over relatively shallow water. They often hover briefly before diving, feet first, to grab a fish.
After an osprey catches a fish, it arranges its feet to turn the fish so it faces head-first. This reduces aerodynamic drag, making the fish easier to carry as the osprey flies off to its nest or another perch to eat the fish.
Bald Eagles sometimes chase Ospreys and force them to drop their catch.