The Waiting Window
An Osprey lifting off a dead branch, wings spread, against a pale sky
Field record

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus
Location
Nagarhole National Park
Coordinates
12.03° N · 76.13° E
Field guideLeast Concern

Specialised for catching fish, it plunges feet-first and grips slippery prey with a reversible outer toe and spiny scales on the soles of its feet.

Family
Pandionidae (ospreys)
Length
50–66 cm
Wingspan
127–180 cm
Diet
Almost exclusively live fish
Range
Cosmopolitan (breeds on every continent except Antarctica)
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