Western Osprey
Pandion haliaetus· 鹗科(2 photos)
Photographed In:
Locations:
Osprey
50-65 cm; span to 1.7 m. Female larger. Graceful large fishing hawk with white head/body, brown wings: note bold dark brown mark through eye, down neck; female has brown-streaked 'necklace'. Juvenile: heavier streaked buff breastband; upperparts mottled buff. Singles, pairs, family parties: perches on dead trees, piles, masts. Patrols over water on long, arched wings; hovers, plunges spectacularly from 10-50 m, entering feet-first. Taking flight, shakes water from plumage, carries fish torpedo-like: note white underwing, with black mark at 'wrist'.
- Other name
- Fish Hawk, Osprey.
- Similar Species
- White-bellied Sea-Eagle imm.: more patchily marked; lacks Osprey's heavy, dark eye mark; wings broad and upswept, with cream crescent at base of primaries; short buff tail with (or without) broad brown subterminal band.
- Voice
- plaintive, 'pee-ee'; squeals.
- Habitat
- coasts, estuaries, bays, inlets; islands and surrounding waters; coral atolls, reefs, lagoons, rock cliffs, stacks. Ascends larger rivers particularly in n., but also Murray R., SA; ventures far inland (Finke R., NT).
- Breeding
- April-July, n. Aust.; July-Sept., s. Aust.
- Nest
- large, of sticks, seaweed, rope, etc.; high in tree (live or dead) or on pylon; on islands, on ground; added to for many seasons, becomes tall.
- Eggs
- 2-3; dull white, capped with reddish blotches.
- Range & Status
- Widespread with three ssp worldwide. Ssp P. cristatus "Eastern Osprey" occurs on coasts and islands of Aust.: now rare or absent far s. NSW, Vic., Tas., Bass Strait and far se. SA, though breeds Yorke and Eyre Pens. and Kangaroo I. (SA). Breeds n. from c. Sydney (NSW); all coastal Q; Gt Barrier Reef; n. Aust., and WA, possibly except Eighty Mile Beach, extends e. to Kangaroo I. (SA). Sedentary; dispersive. Also Indonesia, NG, Solomon Is. Nominate ssp P. haliaetus "Western Osprey" recorded from Cocos (Keeling) Islands 25th December 2014 until at least 4th March 2015. Ref BARC.
- Distribution key to races
- 1. Pandion haliaetus cristatus 2. Pandion haliaetus haliaetus
