Birds · Accipitriformes · Pandionidae

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is one of the few birds of prey with an almost cosmopolitan distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica.

Weight

900 g – 2.1 kg

Size

50 cm – 66 cm

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Piscivore

Feeds mainly on fish.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanFreshwaterPiscivore Diurnal Solitary Bird Ocean Freshwater

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Fun facts

It feeds almost exclusively on live fish, caught by plunging feet-first into the water.
It has reversible outer toes and spiny scales on the soles of its feet, adaptations unique among birds of prey.
It recovered after being severely affected by DDT in the mid-twentieth century.
anatomíaIt has a reversible outer toe that lets it grip slippery fish from any angle in flight.
distribuciónIt is one of the few birds of prey with an almost worldwide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica.
anatomíaIt has rough scales on the soles of its feet and curved talons specially adapted to grip slippery fish firmly in flight.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Coastal areas, lakes, rivers and reservoirs across almost the entire world except Antarctica
Birth weight: ~50 grams at hatching
Size at birth: Covered in down and completely dependent at hatching
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 35-43 days
Litter / clutch size: 2 to 4 eggs per clutch (most commonly 3)

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; Bilderreich; The Animal Facts; USDA Forest Service FEIS; A-Z Animals; Animal Diversity Web; BioKIDS