Worldwide distribution

Pandion haliaetus is a medium large, specialist fish-eater. It has no close relatives, being the only living species of the genus Pandion, which is in turn the only genus in the bird family Pandionidae. The Osprey is a large bird of prey common in coastal areas in most parts of Australia except Tasmania and Victoria. Common on North Stradbroke Island. In flight, wings are bowed, brown above, barred underneath. Head mainly white with stripe through eye. Ospreys feed on fish in clear open water. Nest inland, sometimes many kilometres, especially where rivers are tidal. Threatened by removal of nesting sites, pollution (increased turbidity), fishing tackle (chokes the birds). It is found in temperate and tropical regions of all continents, except Antarctica, and in most part of Australia although not on the coast adjacent to the Nullabor Plain.

Photo: Derek Boddington

On perch. Photo: Mark Crocker