The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a large, distinctive raptor found on every continent except Antarctica, making it one of the most widely distributed birds of prey in the world. Sometimes called the "fish hawk," it is a specialist predator that feeds almost exclusively on fish, which it catches by diving feet-first into water after hovering or circling overhead to spot its prey, aided by reversible outer toes and barbed foot pads that help it grip slippery catches. Ospreys are easily recognized by their white underparts, dark brown upperparts, a distinctive dark eye stripe against a white head, and long, narrow wings that form an angled "M" shape in flight. They build large stick nests, often reused and added to year after year, typically located near water on structures like dead trees, cliffs, or increasingly, man-made platforms and utility poles. Once severely threatened by the pesticide DDT, which caused eggshell thinning and population crashes in the mid-20th century, Ospreys have made a remarkable recovery since the chemical's ban and are now classified as a species of Least Concern, with healthy populations found across much of North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
