Pandion haliaetus
Eshkimegwe (Ojibwe)
The Osprey is a large brown-and-white hawk with long, narrow wings, long legs, and a distinctive M-shaped flight profile. These raptors are found on every continent except Antarctica. Their diet and affinity for coastlines have earned them the nicknames “sea hawk” and “fish hawk.”
Fish make up the majority of an Osprey’s diet, and Ospreys will take almost any size and type. Their eyes are adapted to detecting fish underwater while they’re on the wing, watching from 30 to 130 feet in the air. When prey is first sighted, an Osprey hovers momentarily, then plunges feet-first into the water, sometimes submerging entirely. Because they are unable to dive to more than about three feet below the water’s surface, Ospreys tend to hunt in shallow waters.
The Osprey has other adaptations that suit its fish-eating diet: Reversible outer toes, long talons, and barbed pads under their toes help this bird hold on to slippery fish. Closable nostrils keep out water during dives. And dense, oily plumage keeps feathers from getting waterlogged. When flying with prey, an Osprey lines up its catch head-first to minimize wind resistance, a behavior sometimes referred to by birders as “packing a lunch.”
One of many bird conservation successes made possible by the Endangered Species Act, the Osprey has made a heartening comeback since the 1970s. Organochlorine pesticides, particularly DDT, had depleted Osprey populations by thinning the birds’ eggshells, wreaking havoc on nesting success in the mid-20th century. Their populations have since rebounded, but Ospreys along the Atlantic coast now face another threat as their food sources are depleted by overfishing.
The persistence of healthy Osprey populations in the Americas is an uplifting reminder of what a conservation success can look like. However, though DDT no longer wreaks havoc on Ospreys the way it once did, Ospreys still face important threats. Ospreys are still vulnerable to other environmental pollutants, and threats such as overfishing, persecution at fish farms, and hazards due to nesting in developed areas continue to harm this charismatic species.
At all stages of their lives, Ospreys are completely reliant on fish for their food. While Ospreys around the world take a wide variety of fish species, the birds in a given population will usually concentrate on only two or three, which make up the majority of their diet. Where Ospreys and humans both use the same fish species, this dependence can lead to competition. Overfishing of coastal waters for species such as menhaden (Brevoortia and Ethmidium) reduces the Ospreys’ food supply, leading to lower rates of nest success from underfed nestlings.
Despite regulations on DDT, environmental pollution still poses a real threat to Ospreys. Mercury enters the environment from the burning of coal and, to a lesser extent, natural gas to generate power. In some areas, mercury from old mine tailings is a huge contributor to mercury in aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, lead is released from fishing weights and sinkers. These toxins accumulate in the fish that Ospreys eat and concentrate in the Ospreys’ tissues, where they can cause a variety of issues affecting these birds’ survival and reproduction.
Even charismatic species like the Osprey need our help to overcome the threats they face. At ABC, we’re inspired by the wonder of birds and driven by our responsibility to find solutions to meet their greatest challenges. With science as our foundation, and with inclusion and partnership at the heart of all we do, we take bold action for birds across the Americas.
Many populations of Osprey hunt primarily or exclusively in the ocean. In areas with commercial fishing operations, overfishing can greatly reduce the populations of prey fish that Osprey rely on. ABC works with partners throughout the Western Hemisphere to address the problems of fisheries bycatch, overfishing, the overwhelming presence of plastics in our waterways, and to help fragile ecosystems and the birds they support become more resilient.
Through advocacy, ABC ensures birds have a seat at the table. We have championed efforts to reduce unsustainable menhaden harvests and restore fish populations along the Atlantic Coast. ABC advocates for non-lead exchanges, giveaways, and education on the harmful effects of lead shot and fishing tackle on birds, including Ospreys. We also launched SPLASh (Stopping Plastics and Litter Along Shorelines) along with several partner organizations to clean up trash on the Texas Gulf Coast, which hosts important nonbreeding habitat for Ospreys.
The Osprey is an extremely distinctive raptor, gliding and hovering on long, narrow wings with its prominent notched primaries giving the impression of fingers. From above, the wings and back of an Osprey are dark brown, while the tail is barred pale brown and white, and its white head contrasts with its dark wings. A thick, dark brown stripe runs from the beak through each large yellow eye and merges with the back. Below, Ospreys are mostly white, with a dark brown “wrist” and barring on the undersides of the tail and flight feathers. While the male’s breast is usually pure white, females have some scattered brown speckling. In some populations, however, there can be overlap between the sexes in this trait, making it difficult to separate males from females by plumage alone.
Ospreys are typically considered to give five distinct vocalizations, all high-pitched and with a sharp, clear, strident quality. The most common of these is the Guard Call, a sequence of evenly paced whistled notes, each rapidly dropping in pitch. The Screaming Call is given by males as part of an aerial flight display (see Courtship, below).
Credit: Oscar Campbell, XC794741. Accessible at https://xeno-canto.org/794741.
Credit: Peter Stronach, XC721671. Accessible at https://xeno-canto.org/721671.
Ospreys are restricted to waters shallow enough for them to hunt. However, they make use of a variety of water bodies, including swamps, lakes, reservoirs, rivers, marshes, and coastal waters.
Specific Area
Worldwide, on all continents except Antarctica
Range Detail
North American Osprey populations are migratory, with some individuals traveling long distances from the Gulf Coast states to as far south as South America for the nonbreeding season. There are year-round resident Ospreys in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and in the Caribbean; these birds do not need to migrate because they have a year-round food supply.
Did you know?
When young Ospreys make their first migration south, they usually remain in the vicinity of their winter home until they are almost two years old. If they survive to the spring of their second year, they head north, but do not necessarily return to the area where they hatched.
The Osprey is both an eye- and an ear-catching species, its high, clear calls carrying over the low rumble of the rivers and waves that they soar above. Nesting conspicuously atop trees, telephone poles, and nest platforms, these unique raptors are easy to observe as they hunt, court, and raise their young.
Ospreys are highly adapted to catching fish and eat little else, and catch a diversity of fish species across the incredible range of geography and habitats that they use. However, skilled hunters that they are, Ospreys cannot dive below the surface of the water like other fish hunters, such as the Double-crested Cormorant. Because of this, Ospreys are mostly confined to shallow inland and coastal waters. However, some populations will travel several miles offshore to hunt pelagic species such as mackerel, sardines, and even flying fish.
Males perform a unique flight display, known variously as the aerial sky dance or fish flight. A male will fly high above the nest and call as he moves in a broad, undulating pattern, rising steeply and hovering before dropping and then rising again. All the while, his legs hang low with a fish or nesting material such as a tree branch. Courtship feeding, where males bring fish to their mates, is also an important feature of breeding. Males who share their catch more equitably also provision their nestlings more. The family will be largely dependent on him before the chicks can leave the nest, so it is important for a female to know that her mate can provide for them all.
Like the Bald Eagle, Ospreys build big, bulky stick nests, which they may reuse and add to year after year. The male selects the site, then both the male and female collect sticks and other materials to build the nest. Ospreys will often build their nests on poles, channel markers, and dead trees, but will also use nest platforms designed and built for them. Ospreys habituate easily to human activity and often nest close to busy highways, ports, and marinas.
The female lays up to three eggs, which both parents help to incubate. The male does all of the hunting until the chicks are six weeks old, delivering fish to the female on the nest, who tears off pieces to feed to the young. At three to four weeks of age, Osprey chicks start to exercise their wings by holding on to the edge of the nest and flapping. Though they learn to catch fish remarkably fast, the learning curve is steep, and the young Ospreys will return to the nest to be fed by their parents for several weeks after they have fledged.
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