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Ospreys
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Home: Wetlands around the world,
except Antarctica
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Nickname: "Fish Hawk"
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Food Sources: Hunts fish in shallow
wetland water
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Favorite food: A variety of big
fishes
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Size: 22 inches tall.
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Wingspan: 6 feet
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Speed: Up to 40 miles per hour
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Appearance: Dark brown on the
back, white under parts, white head, dark streak on
either side of body, yellow eyes, looks the same all
over the world.
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Special feature: Long and curved
talons. Its toes have sharp spines for catching prey.
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The osprey is unique among raptors. While it is a hawk in the order
Falconiformes, it is distinct from other hawks and falcons in several
ways, from prickly spicules on the feet, which help it grasp slippery
fish, to a reversible toe like an owl's. Ospreys also have thin, slit-like
nostrils - unique to the species - that close as it dives into water
to catch fish. Ospreys can be found on every continent except Antarctica.
Some ospreys in warm climates spend most of their lives in the same
region, while others move north for the breeding season, then fly
south for the winter. |
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| Bird rescue & bird adoption;
parrot refuge/rescue & placement for unwanted birds. |
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| Check out our list of local
birds broken down by your state and different types of
species. |
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| Migrating birds stay on track
because of chemical reactions in their bodies that are
influenced by the Earth's magnetic field... |
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Part
I
November
19, 2004