Page created on : May 20, 2004
Last updated : April 1, 2004

Sometimes called a fish hawk, or fishing eagle, the osprey is in fact neither a hawk nor an eagle. Rather, it is the only member of an Accipitridae sub-family that is characterized by fish-eating habits and peculiar anatomical adaptations for capturing fish. The osprey's wings are long and narrow and bend at the wrist like those of gulls. Wingspans range from 147 to 183 cm and the stiff plumage is well adapted for diving into the water to capture prey. A migratory bird, the osprey is known to winter from the southern United States, to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. It can be found south of the treeline across Canada during the warmer months, but does not breed in much of southern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Osprey have been reported to travel distances up to 20 kilometres from the nest while in search of food.