Common name: Osprey Scientific name: Pandion alaetud

IDNTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Wingspan four and a half to six feet; length 22 to25 inches. They are dark brown above, white below, and have a white head with a prominent black eye stripe. Females usually have a dark spotted “necklace”.

RANGE: Ospreys have a worldwide distribution, being found at some time in their life cycle on every continent except Antarctica. They are found breeding in Scotland and from Scandinavia across northern Europe and Asia to the pacific. Many of these birds winter in Africa. They also breed in Australia and some of the surrounding Pacific Islands. In North America, ospreys breed from Alaska to Nova Scotia south to the Great Lakes States and along both coasts of the United States into Florida on the Atlantic and Sinola on the Pacific. Breeding ospreys are also found along the Gulf of Mexico from Florida throughout Texas, and on some of the Caribbean Islands migratory ospreys are found during the winter through Mexico, Central America, and South America. Ospreys are found year-round in Baja, Mexico, South Florida, and south Texas. In Minnesota they are common on northern lakes and along the St. Croix River during the summer. Recent reintroduction efforts have led to more than a dozen pairs nesting in the twin cities area.

HABITAT: Found near water, they usually nest near the top of large trees but will nest on artificial structures such as power poles, channel markers, or special “osprey” platforms. The two-thirds of the ospreys in Wisconsin nest on artificial structures. They also nest on cliffs.

NESTING: Ospreys build a bulky nest of sticks similar to eagle nest. In some places they nest in colonies. Ospreys lay three to four eggs that hatch in about 30 days.

FEEDING HABITS: Almost exclusively a fish eater, the osprey is noted for its feet-first plunge into the water when catching fish. Special adaptations for fishing included a reversible front toe and spicules on the bottoms of their feet for grasping slippery fish. After catching a fish. The bird carries it in a head first orientation as it flies back to the nest.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Ospreys have suffered worldwide from the poisonous effects of organochlorides (DDT), habitat loss, and persecution. Listed as a species of “special concern” in Minnesota.