The Osprey is the only raptor whose front
talons turn backward.
Osprey
The Osprey - Pandion haliaetus – also known as the sea
hawk, fish eagle or fish hawk, is a fish eating bird of prey.
It is the second most widely distributed raptor species, after the Peregrine
Falcon. They occur in a wide variety of habitats such as lakes, rivers, wooded
swamps with open water, and shorelines, from cliffs to salt-flats. In Africa it is partly resident in the tropics
but is a non-breeding visitor pretty much everywhere else, including southern Africa.
Description
The plumage of
the osprey is generally brown above and white below, with a whitish head and a
dark stripe through each eye. The wings are long and pointed and the legs are
stout and heavily scaled. The irises of the eyes are golden to brown, and the
transparent nictitating membrane is pale blue. The bill is black, with a blue
cere, and the feet are white with black talons. A short tail and long, narrow
wings which in flight are arched with drooping "hands", giving it a
gull-like appearance. The juvenile is fairly similar to the adult but the head
is more darkly-streaked and the upperparts appear scaled with cream and pale
rufous.
Call
The call is a
series of sharp whistles, described as cheep, cheep or yewk, yewk.
If disturbed by activity near the nest, the call is a frenzied cheereek!
Food
Fish make up 99%
of the Osprey's diet. They occasionally, may prey on rodents, rabbits, hares,
amphibians and other birds. These raptors are particularly well adapted to this
diet, with reversible outer toes, sharp spicules on the underside of the toes, closable
nostrils to keep out water during dives, and backwards-facing scales on the
talons which act as barbs to help hold its catch.
Breeding
The Osprey breeds
near freshwater lakes, and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. The large
stick nest is built near the ground or high up in a tree, or on a cliff, rocky
outcrop, telephone pole, dilapidated building, or even just on the ground. The
clutch size is usually around two to four eggs, which are incubated largely by
the female over 35 to 38 days. Once hatched, the female broods and feeds the
chicks, whilst the male forages for food to bring back to the nest. The young
fledge at around a month and a half to two months old, but remain dependent on
the parents birds for another two to three months, after which they disperse
widely.
Conservation Status – Least Concern
The osprey was
widely persecuted by humans, particularly in Europe, whilst during the 1950s
and 1960s there were dramatic declines due to pesticide pollution, especially
in North America. Fortunately, the osprey
still has a massive global population which now appears to be increasing again
in many regions. The recovery of osprey populations in Europe and North America has been attributed to protection measures,
public education, the creation of artificial nest sites, and bans on pesticide
usage. Its conservation status in southern Africa
is uncertain, but it is not understood why it is so uncommon in the region.
Birdwatching
Ask Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures
to create a tour for you or book on one of the following Aves Birding Tour/Safaris/Adventures scheduled tours to see these magnificent
raptors: -
Aves Eastern Cape Birding
Tour / Safari /Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves KZN Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North East
Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves North West Birding Tour
/ Safari / Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast
Birding Tour / Safari / Adventure.