Osprey

osprey (ŏs`prē), common name for a bird of prey related to the hawk and the New World vulture and found near water in most parts of the world. The American osprey, or fish hawk, Pandion haliaetus, has white underparts and a wingspread of 5 to 6 ft (152 to 183 cm). It feeds solely on live fish and is usually seen hovering over the water, into which it plunges feet first to grasp its prey. Ospreys are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Falconiformes, family Pandionidae.

---

osprey

 or fish hawk

Species (Pandion haliaetus) of long-winged hawk found along seacoasts and large interior waterways. Ospreys are about 26 in. (65 cm) long and brown above and white below, with some white on the head. An osprey flies over the water, hovers above its prey, and then plunges feet first, seizing the fish in its long, curved talons. Ospreys breed on all continents except South America, where they live only in winter. They usually nest, singly or in colonies, high in trees or on cliffs. Bioaccumulation of pesticides caused populations to dwindle in the 20th century, but they are now recovering.

---

osprey

a large broad-winged fish-eating diurnal bird of prey, Pandion haliaetus, with a dark back and whitish head and underparts: family Pandioridae

---

Osprey 

(Pandion haliaetus), a bird of the family Accipitridae of the order Falconiformes. The osprey is about 60 cm long and weighs 1.3–1.9 kg. The plumage is brown above and brightly colored below. There are little spines under the toes to help the bird grip the slippery bodies of fish. Ospreys are widely distributed except in tropical Africa and South America. In the USSR they are found from the forest tundra to the country’s southern borders. The birds settle near lakes and streams abounding in fish. They obtain their prey by swooping down onto or, sometimes, into the water. An oil from the coccygeal gland prevents the feathers from becoming soaked. Ospreys nest in trees and, less commonly, on cliffs or on the ground. A clutch contains two or three eggs, which are incubated for about 35 days. Ospreys are becoming rare everywhere. The birds are sometimes classified as the separate family Pandionidae.