Large raptor
White breast and belly
Black back and wings
Long wings, held with wingtips angled slightly backwards
Dark eye stripe
Crown and forehead white
Size: 21-23 in
Wingspan: 59-71 in
Weight: 49-71 ounces
Sexes similar; female larger and tends to have fuller 
and darker chest band

Syllables:   os-prey
Pronunciation:   as pri

NOTES

1.  Price (See above)

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The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
is a medium large raptor, which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. It is often known by other colloquial names such as Fish Hawk, Sea Hawk or Fish Eagle. It is the only member of the genus Pandion (Savigny, 1809), which is in turn the only genus in family Pandionidae.

The Osprey is 52-60cm long with a 152-167cm wingspan. It has white underparts and long, narrow wings with four "finger" feathers at the end of each, which give it a very distinctive appearance.

Their call is a series of sharp, whistles, cheep, cheep, or yewk, yewk. Near the nest, a frenzied cheereek!

The Osprey is particularly well adapted to its diet, with reversible outer toes, closable nostrils to keep out water during dives, and backwards facing scales on the talons which act as barbs to help catch fish.

It locates its prey from the air, often hovering prior to plunging feet-first into the water to seize a fish. As it rises back into flight the fish is turned head forward to reduce drag. The feet are such effective tools for grasping fish that, on occasion, Ospreys have drowned because they were unable to release their grip on a fish that was heavier than expected.

It breeds by freshwater lakes, and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. The nest is a large heap of sticks built in trees, rocky outcrops, telephone poles or artificial platforms. In some regions with high Osprey densities, such as Chesapeake Bay, USA, most Ospreys do not start breeding until they are five to seven years old. Many of the structures they need to build nests on are already taken. If there are no nesting sites available, young Ospreys may be forced to delay breeding.

Ospreys usually mate for life. In March or earlier depending on region, they begin a five-month period of partnership to raise their young. Females lay 3–4 four eggs by late April, and rely on the size of their nest to help conserve heat. The eggs are approximately the size of chicken eggs, and cinnamon colored. The eggs generally incubate for 5 weeks. After hatching, 2-ounce chicks become fliers within eight weeks. When food is scarce, the first chicks to hatch are most likely to survive.

Osprey 

Scientific classification

         Kingdom:  Animalia
         Phylum:   Chordata
         Class:   Aves
         Order:   Falconiformes
         Family:  Pandionidae Sclater
         Genus:   Pandion
         Species:  Haliaetus

Binomial name
Pandion haliaetus