Osprey
American osprey (P. h. carolinensis) standing on a snag.
Call
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Pandionidae
Genus:	Pandion
Species:	P. haliaetus
Binomial name
Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758)
global range
Synonyms
Falco haliaetus Linnaeus, 1758

The osprey (/ˈɒspri, -preɪ/;^[2] Pandion haliaetus), historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and a wingspan of 180 cm (71 in). It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.

The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America, it occurs only as a nonbreeding migrant.

As its other common names suggest, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and unique behaviour in hunting its prey. Because of its unique characteristics, it is classified in its own taxonomic genus, Pandion, and family, Pandionidae.