Male Osprey in flight with prey at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, Utah

Osprey Images, Facts and Information:

Pandion haliaetus

  • Ospreys are very large hawks that are primarily brown and white with white heads, chests and a brown streak through the eyes.  Their eyes are yellow as adult and orangish when they are immature. They have hooked beaks and light colored legs.
  • Ospreys occur nearly worldwide.
  • The majority of Ospreys in North America are migratory but there are resident populations in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and Baja Peninsula in Mexico.
  • Ospreys are found near lakes, rivers, man made reservoirs, ponds, marshes and coastal areas that provide adequate nesting sites including trees and man made nesting platforms.
  • Ospreys are fish eaters.
  • Ospreys lay 1 to 4 eggs which hatch in 36 to 42 days. Both sexes incubate and they are monogamous.
  • Ospreys can live up to 25 years.
  • Osprey nicknames include fish eagle, sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk.

I hope you enjoy viewing my Osprey photos.

Back to Hawks, Eagles, Ospreys and Vultures
Back to Birds