The osprey is a large bird of prey found on every continent except Antarctica, one of the most widely distributed raptors in the world, specialized almost entirely for catching fish. It has dark brown upperparts, a white head and underside marked by a dark eye stripe, and long, narrow wings that it holds in a distinctive bent shape in flight. Ospreys hunt by hovering or circling over water before plunging feet-first to seize fish near the surface, aided by reversible outer toes, sharp curved talons and spiny foot pads that help grip slippery prey, which it then carries head-first to reduce drag. It nests in large stick platforms built on treetops, cliffs, poles or purpose-built platforms, often near lakes, rivers or coastlines, and many populations undertake long migrations between temperate breeding grounds and tropical wintering areas. Once severely reduced in parts of its range by the pesticide DDT, osprey populations have recovered strongly since the chemical was banned and nest platforms were introduced to support them.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleInvasive or Introduced Species 2 Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status. Scientific Name Conservation Status Population Estimate Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceDark brown upperparts, a white head and underside marked by a dark eye stripe, and long narrow wings held in a distinctive bent shape in flight. 1 Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
Lake, Biomes Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Pandion haliaetus (Animal Diversity Web)
River, Biomes Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Pandion haliaetus (Animal Diversity Web)
In Ecosystem
Source Wikidata: Greylag Goose
Additional Source Danube Delta (Wikipedia)Article text
Source Wikidata: Mountain Goat
Additional Source Yellowstone National Park (Wikipedia)Article text
In the Other Atlases
Found In
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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Osprey (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIntroduction
The osprey (; Pandion haliaetus), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range.
Summary extract, appearance sentence
It has dark brown upperparts, a white head and underside marked by a dark eye stripe, and long, narrow wings that it holds in a distinctive bent shape in flight.
Population status section, IUCN evaluation sentence
Although global population trends have not been quantified, the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations), and for these reasons, the species is evaluated as least concern.
Population status section, first sentence
The osprey has a large range, covering 9,670,000 sqkm in just Africa and the Americas, and has a large global population estimated at 460,000 individuals.
View the Source 2. Wikipedia: Osprey
Wikipediasystem (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The osprey (; Pandion haliaetus), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range.
system (entity description states it plainly, relationship to people)
Once severely reduced in parts of its range by the pesticide DDT, osprey populations have recovered strongly since the chemical was banned and nest platforms were introduced to support them.
Introduction
The osprey (; Pandion haliaetus), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range.
View the Source 3. NatureServe Explorer: Pandion haliaetus
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G5"
4. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Pandion haliaetus (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
CITES Appendix II
In Biome: River, Habitat: Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic Biomes lakes and ponds rivers and streams coastal coastal brackish water brackish water
In Biome: Lake, Habitat: Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic Biomes lakes and ponds rivers and streams coastal coastal brackish water brackish water
View the Source Wikidata: Osprey
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: AccipitriformesView the Source Yellowstone National Park (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem: Yellowstone, Article textQuote, In Ecosystem: Yellowstone, Article text
Other birds, considered species of special concern because of their rarity in Yellowstone, include the common loon, harlequin duck, osprey, peregrine falcon and the trumpeter swan.
Danube Delta (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIn Ecosystem: Danube Delta, Article textQuote, In Ecosystem: Danube Delta, Article text
Fauna of this region include the meadow viper (Vipera ursinii), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), and Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo).
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