Osprey Padion haliaetus (Linnaeus 1758)
Osprey Padion
haliaetus (Linnaeus 1758)
Other name: Fish Hawk
Status and
distribution
Common non breeding visitor south to Johore. Overwinter
population majority consist of juvenile plumage also recorded from May to
August. Adult presumably young adult have been sighted in commonly in Perak on the same period. Possible due to not ready to breed. It was said that some individual does not bread until age 7 years and above.
Migrant from Australasia region have
never been confirmed though was suspected in many literature.
Description
Forehead dark brown,centre of crown and naped buff with dark shaft. Blackish eye-stripe through eye across the white faced to hind necked. Rest of upperpart dark brown. Underpart white with breast band. Largish raptor with dark brown above white below and head
with dark eye stripe. In flight, the raptor somawhat obtaining broadwing with
narrow finger with squarish tail. Underwing white with drak trialing edge,
narrow barring on flight feather, black greater covert band and dark carpal
arch.
Sexes variation :
Size variation in this species is very close perhaps 3-4% (Fuggerson-Lee 2001).
Female also have darker heavier marking on breast compare to male and somewhat
more bulky looking compare to male. This perhaps due to the weight of the
female where mention in Fuggerson-Lee 2001 is 14% heavier.
Juvenile : Similar
to adult with heavier streaking on nape and crown. Pale edging on upperpart.
Confusion species
Possibly confused with other raptor such as Common Buzzard.
The latter have broader wing lack of dark eye stripe and usually yellow feet.
Oriental Honey Buzzard & Crested Honey Buzzard have
somewhat longer tail and small head appearance. In flight Honey Buzzard have 6
finger oppose to five finger of the osprey. Also Osprey are lack of body marking
as in Honey Buzzard.
Short toed Snake Eagle by distinctively paler greyish upperwing covert and by plainer underwing
Booted Eagle by distincly patterned upperwing and uppertail covert which is white.
Geographical
variation
P.h.haliaetus common migrant in the country. P.h.cristatus is not definitely
recorded.
Total 4 races recognize.
Behaviour
Spend a lot of time flying above body of water and sometimes
hover in hunt for fishes. Osprey also involve in “foot-dragging” where is
rather common sight a long ex mining pool. During hunting, the Osprey may hover
at the height of about 30 meter and dive straight to the prey. It have been
observed that majority of dive from hovering method are almost vertical plunge.
Prey will taken up from the water surface by both feet with head pointing
forward. Any heavier prey are drag to the edge and beaches. Nevertheless, they
are also know to drown when too heavy fish are caught.
Still-hunt from perch have been recorded however not known if this habit was seen in malaysia.
(I have personally not record such behaviour in malaysia.)
Food
Almost entirely on fish. Do not pirate other species however in some text mention this species been rob even by heron.
Habitat
Fresh and salt water area including ex mining land and
brackish lake.
Interesting fact
Osprey toes are all same size with one outer toes which is
reversible. This adaptation for catch slippery fishes from surface of water. A
part from that, Osprey is the only raptor that will dive into the water for its
prey.
Photo
Video
Very useful information.
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