• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

• Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

• Birds (Class Aves)

• Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies (Order Accipitriformes)​​

• Ospreys (Family Pandionidae)

• Ospreys (Genus Pandion)

• Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

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Pandion haliaetus, commonly known as the Osprey, is a large fish-eating bird of prey. It is the sole living species in the family Pandionidae and is easily recognized by its white head with a dark eye stripe, brown upperparts, and long, narrow wings. Ospreys are highly specialized hunters, feeding almost exclusively on fish, which they capture by plunging feet-first into water. Their feet possess sharp, curved talons and rough, spiny foot pads that help them grip slippery prey, while reversible outer toes allow a secure two-front, two-back grasp. Ospreys are commonly found near lakes, rivers, reservoirs, coastlines, and estuaries, where they build large stick nests on trees, cliffs, utility poles, or specially constructed nesting platforms.