The Osprey is a powerful raptor that is also known as the Fish Hawk. Although it is only about two feet tall, it is often mistaken for the much larger Bald Eagle. The Osprey's wings and back are dark brown. Its chest and belly are white. Its head is white, but it has a black band from the eyes to the sides of the neck. It has a downward-curving bill and strong claws. The Osprey feeds mainly on fish.
Osprey - The adult male has a white chest
Often mistaken for the Bald Eagle
People often mistake the Osprey for a Bald Eagle, but there are substantial differences. The Osprey is much smaller than the Bald Eagle, and it has a different color pattern. Both have dark wings, but the Bald Eagle does not have a white chest or a white belly. The Osprey's white belly is a useful identifying feature if you see the bird in flight.
If you are able to see the head clearly, the eye mask would be the other identifying clue. The Osprey has a white head with a distinctive dark eye mask that starts at the eye and streaks down toward the back. The Bald Eagle's head is pure white. You can see the Osprey's eye mask in the photo below.
The Osprey resembles an eagle, but
the Osprey has a dark eye mask
The Osprey has white feet
Another significant difference between the Osprey and Bald Eagle is the color of the bill and feet. The Osprey has a dark bill and white feet. The Bald Eagle has a huge yellow bill and massive yellow feet.
Female Ospreys have a brown "necklace"
Males and females
Female adult Ospreys have a pattern of brown feathers across the white chest. This is sometimes referred to as a "necklace." The male's chest is plain white. The female is often larger than the male. Other than those details, the male and female look alike. During breeding season the birds look the same as they do at non-breeding times. Ospreys make their nests in tall trees near water. If appropriate trees are not available, they sometimes nest on man made platforms placed at the tops of poles. Some build their nests on top of signs, street lights or utility poles.
Young Ospreys have red eyes
Young Ospreys grow quickly and both sexes initially have a white chest like the male. Young females gradually develop the brown pattern across the chest as they mature. Another interesting feature - adult Ospreys have yellow eyes, but the eyes of young Ospreys are red or reddish-orange. From the back you can identify young Ospreys by the white scalloping on the edges of their feathers. This is a subtle difference, but it is more obvious if you are lucky enough to spot an adult and an immature Osprey sitting side by side in a tree or nest.
Click here to view more Osprey images!
Ospreys are able to hover
When an Osprey fishes, it flies high to try to spot fish in the water below. When it sees its prey, it has the ability to hover before it dives feet-first into the water to grab the fish in its strong claws. The Osprey will often come up empty, but this bird is persistent. It will try again and again until it is successful. When it grabs a fish, it holds it with the fish's head facing forward as if it were carrying a torpedo. One of the most interesting things to see is an Osprey shaking off water. After a dive, when it is just a few feet above the water, it can increase the frequency of its wing beats and shake off water in the process.
The photos on this page were taken in Palm Harbor, Florida
and Tarpon Springs, Florida.
All photos on this website by J.A. Heintz
All written material by D.C. Heintz
Copyright 2010 D.C. Heintz. All rights reserved.
Click here to visit the Nightbreeze Store
