The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is an elegant, fish-eating bird of prey that plunges into water feet-first to catch its prey, feeding almost exclusively on fish — a specialisation so complete that it is placed in its own family, separate from both eagles and hawks. It measures 52–60 cm, has a wingspan of about 152–167 cm and weighs 1.2–2.0 kg. The upperparts are dark brown and the underparts white, giving a pale, contrasting silhouette from below, with a clear dark band running through the otherwise white head; in flight the long wings are held bent, giving a characteristic angled, almost M-shaped profile, and the female is generally somewhat larger than the male with a more pronounced dark breast band.
The call, mostly heard near the nest, is a whining, whistling "pyyp-pyyp-pyyp" that rises in intensity when the bird is disturbed or a partner approaches — surprisingly thin for such a large bird — though away from the nest the Osprey is notably silent. Sweden holds one of Europe's largest populations, estimated at 3,500–4,500 pairs, breeding almost everywhere there are fish-rich lakes and rivers, from Skåne to Lappland, a stronghold that grew substantially after Sweden's 1970 ban on DDT halted the eggshell-thinning that had previously devastated birds of prey. It builds a large stick nest, often atop a tall, free-standing pine near water or on an artificial platform erected for the species, reusing and enlarging the same nest for years; the female lays 2–3 eggs, incubated for 37–41 days, and the young fledge after about eight weeks while remaining dependent on their parents' fishing for some time after. Hunting pike, perch, bream and roach, the Osprey scans from 10–40 metres up, often hovering on the spot before striking feet-first, sometimes submerging completely — a reversible outer toe and spiny footpads let it grip slippery fish with two claws forward and two back.
Read about this species in Swedish →