Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Description
A sleek raptor with tapering wings and with white, grey and black markings that can make it superficially seem a little like a seagull when in flight.Call is high-pitched, also somewhat remeniscent of a seabird. However, with sharp talons and a hooked beak this is clearly a very efficient bird of prey.
Behaviour
Migratory summer visitor that hunts over lochs and rivers for fish which it catches with its talons. Builds large, distinctive nests in old trees.
Size
The female is larger than the male, weighing on average 1.6 kg, compared with 1.4 kg for the male, and has an average wingspan of 163 cm, compared with 159 cm for the male. The adult Osprey measures anywhere from 53 to 65 cm long.
Where to see them
Loch of the Lowes
When to see them
April to August
What they eat
Fish
Status
On Amber List of UK birds of conservation concern due to long-term population decline and as a rare breeding bird in the UK
Distribution
Worldwide
Threats
Persecution
Fascinating Facts
Often dives with its wings half closed and claws stretched forward, disappearing in a shower of spray. Then carries the fish headfirst in flight, usually using both feet to hold it. Nests are particularly large; a mass of dried branches interwoven with other materials. Ospreys can live for 15 to 20 years, and one individual was known to survive to age 35.