Critter Class Osprey Pandion haliaetus (osprey) November 28, 2011 MVK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPfqNSc_I7g&feature=related Comment: Isn't it interesting how ospreys carry fish in their talons lengthwise? I actually saw one do it this summer. MVK: Yes - they do this because it is more aerodynamic. MVK: The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts, with a black eye patch and wings. The Osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant. As its other common name suggests, the Osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It has evolved specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Four subspecies are usually recognised. Despite its propensity to nest near water, the Osprey is not a sea-eagle Per Wikipedia Comment: Awesome birds for sure!!! Comment: Looks like the osprey's wingspan is almost the same as an eagle. But the body's not, is that right? Comment: Hello everyone hoping it was a great thanksgiving. I was away but home now. Glad to see about the ospreys.. MVK: Critter Class – Osprey 1 11/28/2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUVNM_j7x9M Comment: Beautiful video, it’s amazing to watch them catch fish in the ocean, quite common site here , but sometimes it takes a few attempts. they truly are a site to behold, kinda like our eagles when going in for the kill.. Comment: Guess I could look up the wingspan of an eagle. COL MVK: 24 inch long and wingspan about 71 inches Comment: So since the osprey has haliaetus in it's name, does that mean it is somewhat related to bald eagles (and our friend Wings)? Adult Male Osprey MVK: As its other common name suggests, the Osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It has evolved specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Four subspecies are usually recognised. Despite its propensity to nest near water, the Osprey is not a sea-eagle. Per Wikipedia MVK: The Osprey was one of the many species described by Carolus Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae, and named as Falco haliaeetus.[2] The genus, Pandion, is the sole member of the family of Pandionidae, and contains the sole species Osprey (P. haliaetus). The genus Pandion was described by the French zoologist Marie Jules César Savigny in 1809, and is taken from a mythical Greek king, Pandion.[3][4][5] The Osprey differs in several respects from other diurnal birds of prey. Its toes are of equal length, its tarsi are reticulate, and its talons are rounded, rather than grooved. The Osprey and Owls are the only raptors whose outer toe is reversible, allowing them to grasp their Critter Class – Osprey 2 11/28/2011 prey with two toes in front and two behind. This is particularly helpful when they grab slippery fish.[6] It has always presented something of a riddle to taxonomists, but here it is treated as the sole living member of the family Pandionidae, and the family listed in its traditional place as part of the order Falconiformes. Other schemes place it alongside the hawks and eagles in the family Accipitridae—which itself can be regarded as making up the bulk of the order Accipitriformes or else be lumped with the Falconidae into Falconiformes. The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy has placed it together with the other diurnal raptors in a greatly enlarged Ciconiiformes, but this results in an unnatural paraphyletic classification Per Wikipedia Comment: Hi MVK, great to see you as always. I've seen ospry in virginia beach. it seems they like to make their nests on street lights. MVK: Anything with a platform. Reese is the osprey expert for the area and monitors the nests I believe. He can tell you about most of the nests around here. Osprey nest Comment: Hi MVK! Glad to be studying ospreys...lots of them along the Choptank River going into Cambridge, MD. How is Sophie Rose enjoying her Thanksgiving leftovers? Comment: Eagle wingspan is 84" average and body is 35" average. See I looked it up. Aren't you proud of me???? LOL Comment: I see one every day on my way home from work...sitting on a light pole - between the highway and the canal (and watching the canal!) They have adapted to urban life, that's for sure. Comment: The fisherman in that boat is thinking ok fellas its my turn LOL Comment: A lot of them nest real high up in light or towers here in sw fl. Critter Class – Osprey 3 11/28/2011 MVK: They build some platforms around here for them to keep them off of other structures. Also - there are so many around here it is sometimes hard to find a place to nest. Comment: I’m confused. How do you tell the difference between the two? Thanks MVK: jb - difference between what? Comment: Hi everyone, "Osprey" you are all enjoying this mild weather. MVK: A little too mild for me. Comment: I think you asked us a teaser question once about why they prefer to nest in billboards and manmade structures. I can't remember the answer except maybe that we've taken their habitat? Comment: Hi MVK and friends- we have a nest on the Coleman bridge I watch and learned when the adult Ospreys migrate to SA the very first year they come back to nest the "New of the Year" stay in SA .. MVK: The Osprey is unusual in that it is a single living species that occurs nearly worldwide. Even the few subspecies are not unequivocally separable. There are four generally recognised subspecies, although differences are small, and ITIS only lists the first two.[3] Per Wikipedia Comment: This isn't an osprey, but it's the cutest thing I think I've ever seen! Take a look, MVK, then see if it's worthy of passing on. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGz8jcbJjRw&feature=colike MVK: Mean ole lady trying to take his COC away! Comment: Hi MVK, there is a nest behind Bubba's on Shore Dr. We see alot of them fishing in the bay during the summer. They usually migrate down south in Oct but once in awhile we'll see a straggler well into Dec. Critter Class – Osprey 4 11/28/2011 MVK: They usually return around here in March - about the time eaglets hatch - just in time to help Dad. LOL Comment: I'm embarrassed to say that I never heard of Ospreys until I watched the NBG nest this past year. I don't live around water...maybe that's why. I did see some Ospreys migrating south this fall. MVK: They really are pretty. So different from most other birds you see. MVK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBEDSDIAuBE Comment: Lots of Osprey nests along the James River! There is a platform in the river that the Jamestown/Scotland ferry goes right by. You can see the pair and there chicks real good. I love to watch them grow as the season progresses. They fledged 2 this year. All gone now for the winter. They left in September. I will look for the parents to come back in March. MVK: They bring all kinds of stuff back to build the nest or nestorize it. You can see lots of plastic bags - which of course are not a good thing, and there was a picture a couple of years ago of one brining a workman's glove back. Comment: Yeah, Dad loves to steal their fish. LOL Comment: MVK, do ospreys hang out in the same places as seagulls?? MVK: Usually around fresh/brackish water - like on the rivers. MVK: Here is another video - building on a platform http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTvKv6BSgdQ Comment: Their eyes are beautiful! and such good fishers for Dad Norfolk col! MVK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-KApOAjE6c Critter Class – Osprey 5 11/28/2011 MVK: The Osprey is 0.9–2.1 kg (2.0–4.6 lb) in weight and 50–66 cm (20–26 in) with a 127–180 cm (50–71 in) wingspan. The subspecies are fairly close in size, with the nominate subspecies averaging 1.53 kg (3.4 lb), P. h. carolinensis averaging 1.7 kg (3.7 lb) and P. h. cristatus averaging 1.25 kg (2.8 lb).[19][20] The upperparts are a deep, glossy brown, while the breast is white and sometimes streaked with brown, and the underparts are pure white. The head is white with a dark mask across the eyes, reaching to the sides of the neck.[21] The irises of the eyes are golden to brown, and the transparent nictitating membrane is pale blue. The bill is black, with a blue cere, and the feet are white with black talons.[6] A short tail and long, narrow wings with four long, finger-like feathers, and a shorter fifth, give it a very distinctive appearance.[22] Per Wikipedia MVK: The sexes appear fairly similar, but the adult male can be distinguished from the female by its slimmer body and narrower wings.