Osprey
Gavilán Pescador
(Pandion haliaetus)

Identification Photos: Osprey, Pandion haliaetus: The Osprey is one of the largest birds of prey in North America and is found near water on all continents of the world except Antarctica. The Osprey is often found residing in nests on top of manmade structures such as telephone poles, channel markers, etc.

It is a fish eating specialist, with fish consisting of 99 percent of it diet. The Osprey can be seen hovering over the water and then plunging in feet-first plunges to capture near-surface fish. The Osprey reaches 2 feet in size, a wingspan of 5 feet, and a weight of 3 pounds.

It is a large, narrow-winged hawk characterized by white breast, black back and wings, a dark line under the yellow eyes, and white crown and forehead. The gray feet are equipped with long claws and spiny pads that assist in fish collection and transportation. The legs and bill are black. The Osprey has a short hooked beak.

The male and female Osprey are similar in appearance and difficult to differentiate. The Osprey, at times, can be confused with the Bald Eagle which has a dark chest and belly. The Osprey makes a short, chirping whistle.

The Osprey is transient, normally breeding in the summer in Canada and residing in the winter southward to South America. However, it is also a year-round resident of all coastal Mexican waters. The Osprey makes a large nest composed of sticks, lined with bark, sod, grasses, vines, and plastic bags. It usually produces three eggs per annum.

In some areas of the world the osprey is considered to be an endangered species, with declining numbers attributed to pesticide poisoning.