Watchable Wildlife: Osprey
Did You Know?
- Ospreys catch fish using their long, hooked talons.
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Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
Photo: Susan L. Shafer - An osprey sometimes plunges deep enough into water to momentarily submerge its entire body.
- Ospreys often use the same nest year after year and add more sticks each year.
- Nests can sometimes become quite large-up to 10 feet tall!
What to Watch for:
Size:
The osprey measures 22-25 inches, with a wingspan of 4-6 feet.
The female is slightly larger than the male.
Appearance:
Adults are dark brown above and white below with a white head, a dark crown, and eye stripes.
In flight, the osprey's long, narrow wings appear to have a crook with dark patches at the wrist.
Where to Watch:
Osprey feed on fish, so look for them along coastlines on Long Island, and on Adirondack lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Osprey lay eggs in a large nest of sticks constructed at the top of a dead tree or on artificial nesting platforms or other structures.
What to Listen for:
Slow whistled guard call - kyew kyew kyew
Alarm call - short clear whistle to faster, higher squeal
When to Watch:
Osprey are typically in New York State from April to September. Some migrate to South America for the winter.
More Information about Osprey
The Best Places to See the Osprey:
Click on the links below to get more information about each site.
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- Mashomack Preserve
- Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
- Allegany State Park
- The Wild Center
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