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March 31, 2023  |  By Matt Hamas

Osprey on the Hunt

Osprey Live

Osprey - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Osprey are apex predators and can be found along coastlines, rivers, and lakes

This large raptor is built for fishing. So much so that it also goes by “fish hawk”, “sea hawk”, and “river hawk”. Not surprisingly, fish make up 99% of an osprey’s diet. These birds can be found across the world. In fact, they can be found on every continent except Antarctica. In the United States, they can be seen year-round in coastal areas of Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Osprey breed at higher latitudes, typically North Carolina up through Canada on the East Coast, and Northern California up through Canada on the West Coast. This photo was taken in the Pinellas National Wildlife Refuge on the West Coast of Florida.

Osprey

These apex predators are found along coastlines, rivers, and lakes. If you are looking to see an osprey and you don’t live near the Atlantic or Pacific coast, osprey can be seen along the Mississippi River and throughout the Great Lakes region. 

Osprey have made a strong comeback ever since 1972 when the use of DDT was banned. DDT is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. That might be the longest word Wild Boyz Photography has ever used. DDT was widely used as an insecticide after being discovered in 1939. After repetitive spraying over years, the DDT accumulated in the soil to a hazardous degree. The bioaccumulation of DDT was fed upward through the food chain. Those predators at the top of the food chain, such as the osprey, were impacted greater. 

Bald Eagle

Although it wasn’t always the case, the osprey has its own taxonomic genus. Its unique physical adaptions and behavior classify it as a separate species. Osprey are one of the few species that will orient their fish with the head facing forward, to reduce drag during flight. Osprey are also able to hold their fish in their talons in a unique way, due to a reversible outer toe. They can grasp the fish with two toes in front and two toes in the back. Their talons also have backward-oriented scales that act like barbs to help secure its prey. The osprey has oily plumage which prevents its feathers from becoming waterlogged. It also has an average five-foot wingspan that helps the osprey lift itself and its prey off the surface of the water.

If you are looking for an osprey, the easiest way to find them is to locate their large nests. Like bald eagles, osprey have large nests that they arrange very high up, often in transmission towers. Osprey can produce three babies per year. In an effort to grow the osprey population, some coastal communities install tall nesting platforms to provide osprey with additional safe habitat to raise their young.

The easiest way to locate an osprey is to locate their large nests

Did you know?

  • Osprey can shut their nostrils when they dive into the water! Even birds don’t like to get water up their nose!
  • Osprey pairs mate for life.
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Article by Matt Hamas

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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