osprey

Table of Contents

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus).

Osprey catching a fish.

Restoring Germany's wetlands: A boost for wildlife

Osprey carrying Spanish moss for use in a nest.

Osprey perching on a nest.

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) with young at nest.

Modifications for specialized types of flight among falconiforms.

Feet shapes of some falconiform birdsThe moderately powerful foot of a lammergeier (Gypaetus); the fish-gripping foot of an osprey (Pandion), with reversible outer toe and rough spicules on the soles; the extremely powerful foot of a harpy eagle (Harpia); the generalized raptorial foot of a buzzard (Buteo); the weak foot of a New World vulture (Cathartes); the foot of a short-toed eagle (Circaetus), for gripping snakes; the foot of a bird-catching goshawk (Accipiter), with long toes and talons; and the foot of a secretary bird (Sagittarius), adapted for walking.

Read Next

Spider monkey swinging in a tree. (primate, jungle animal)

Why Do Animals Have Tails?

Hungry Pelican waiting to be fed, beak open, Australia

Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Discover

Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)

The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church

Small, white rat (genus Rattus) on a glass table. (rodent, laboratory, experiment)

Cruel and Unusual Punishments: 15 Types of Torture

Easter Procession of Maria Santisima del Sacromonte in Granada, Spain. This statue is known as Virgen de los Gitanos or The Virgin of the Gypsies.

What is Holy Week?

July, 2006, Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-121. See attached for full caption information.

Will Light-Speed Space Travel Ever Be Possible?

Battle of the Alamo from "Texas: An Epitome of Texas History from the Filibustering and Revolutionary Eras to the Independence of the Republic, 1897. Texas Revolution, Texas revolt, Texas independence, Texas history.

6 Wars of Independence

African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

illustration of the walking titanosaurus, Patagotitan mayorum

Titanosaurs: 8 of the World's Biggest Dinosaurs

osprey: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Ospreys 18-20 Lyon: Welsh interest ends in Europe with Challenge Cup defeat • Apr. 11, 2025, 8:57 AM ET (BBC)

European Challenge Cup: Ospreys beat Scarlets 36-14 to set up Lyon quarter-final • Apr. 7, 2025, 8:35 AM ET (BBC)

Headline here... • Mar. 29, 2025, 12:34 AM ET (BBC)

Facts

Also Known As	fish hawk • Pandion haliaetus

Photos and Videos

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus).

Osprey catching a fish.

Osprey carrying Spanish moss for use in a nest.

Osprey perching on a nest.

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) with young at nest.

Modifications for specialized types of flight among falconiforms.

Feet shapes of some falconiform birdsThe moderately powerful foot of a lammergeier (Gypaetus); the fish-gripping foot of an osprey (Pandion), with reversible outer toe and rough spicules on the soles; the extremely powerful foot of a harpy eagle (Harpia); the generalized raptorial foot of a buzzard (Buteo); the weak foot of a New World vulture (Cathartes); the foot of a short-toed eagle (Circaetus), for gripping snakes; the foot of a bird-catching goshawk (Accipiter), with long toes and talons; and the foot of a secretary bird (Sagittarius), adapted for walking.

Restoring Germany's wetlands: A boost for wildlife

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

hawk red-tailed hawk goshawk harrier buzzard accipiter sparrowhawk What Are the Differences Between Hawks and Falcons?

Quiz

Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). Animals, mammals.

Ultimate Animals Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

turkey vulture. vulture. Close-up of a head and beak of a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).

A Little Bird Told Me

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Young chimpanzee dressed in a shirt and sweater vest, scratching his head thinking. (primates)

Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz

pigeon. pigeon and dove. member of the order Columbiformes, family Columbidae

Ultimate Bird Trivia Quiz

Birds, Birds, Birds Quiz

vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture.

Animal Factoids

List

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. (birds)

15 of the Best Birdsongs (According to Britannica)

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Demystified

Black-headed gulls perching on a roof with bird droppings, often seen in flocks around London, England, in winter time. The "black head" develops during the breeding season. (black headed, birds, guano, bird poop)

Do Birds Pee?