OSPREY Pandion haliaetus - FNAI - Florida Natural Areas Inventory

OSPREY 

Pandion haliaetus 

Order: 

Family: 

FNAI Ranks: 

U.S. Status: 

FL Status: 

Falconiformes 

Accipitridae 

G5/S3S4 

None 

Species of Special Concern 

(Monroe County only) 

U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state Wildlife Code 

prohibit take of birds, nests, or eggs. 

© Barry Mansell 

Description: A large, soaring bird with wings bent at the wrist in flight. 

Back is dark brown; head and undersides are largely white. A dark brown 

streak extends through eye and expands towards back of head; small 

streaks on top of head and across breast. Feathers on top of head can form a 

low, irregular crest. Females are slightly larger than males. Immature birds 

have orangish eyes, while those of adults are more yellow. 

Similar Species: Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus; see species 

account) is dark on the underside (completely black in adults and mottled 

in juveniles). Bend in the wrist of the wing is also diagnostic of ospreys, 

since bald eagle generally holds wings flat when soaring. The osprey also 

tends to flap more frequently than eagles and other large soaring birds. 

Field Guide to the Rare Animals of Florida Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 2001

OSPREY 

Pandion haliaetus 

Habitat: Found on or near large lakes, rivers, and coastal areas where 

suitable nesting sites can be found. Water bodies must be large, fairly open, 

and clear for osprey to locate prey. Nesting sites are large living or dead 

trees and man-made structures; osprey numbers appear to be limited by 

presence of adequate nesting sites. Nesting sites often stand above 

surrounding vegetation or in more open fields and sparsely timbered 

forests, but low nesting sites are common, particularly in mangrove 

swamps. Nesting may seem colonial in some coastal areas or surrounding 

large inland lakes. Lake Istokpoga in Highlands County supported 229 

active nests in 2000. 

Seasonal Occurrence: May be found throughout Florida in all seasons, 

but winter records are less common, particularly in north Florida. Numbers 

generally increase in north Florida beginning with spring migration in 

February; fall migration appears to commence in September. Large 

numbers may occasionally be seen moving south in fall. 

Florida Distribution: Found throughout Florida, but may be rare in some 

areas. The interior of the panhandle has very few nesting birds, and winter 

records are even less common. Population may be increasing, however, and 

sightings may become more regular at some inland lakes and rivers in the 

panhandle. 

Range-wide Distribution: Cosmopolitan. Found throughout much of 

North America and in many parts of Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, and 

South America. Found throughout Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Caribbean, 

and the Antilles. 

Conservation Status:. Listing as a Species of Special Concern seems to 

stem from threats posed to nesting sites in Monroe County, particularly by 

boat traffic. Population declines documented in the latter half of the 1900s 

probably stemmed from eggshell thinning (caused by organophosphate 

pesticides), which was documented at some Florida breeding sites. Another 

potential cause for declines observed in south Florida is lowered food 

availability. 

Protection and Management: Regulate boat traffic, especially in some 

coastal areas where nests are situated low to the water and in good numbers 

at close proximity. Populations can be expanded in some areas through 

construction of nesting platforms. 

Selected References: McMillian 2001, Robertson and Woolfenden 1992, 

Rodgers et al. (eds.) 1996, Stevenson and Anderson 1994. 

Field Guide to the Rare Animals of Florida Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 2001

OSPREY Pandion haliaetus - FNAI - Florida Natural Areas Inventory

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