Pandionidae

E50196

Pandionidae is a small family of birds of prey best known for the osprey, a fish-eating raptor found near coasts and inland waters worldwide.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf bird family
taxon
breedingSitePreference artificial nesting platforms
tall trees near water
class Aves
clutchSize typically 2–4 eggs
commonName osprey family
containsTaxon Pandion
Osprey
surface form: Pandion cristatus

Osprey
surface form: Pandion haliaetus
dietSpecialization piscivory
distinguishingFeature hooked beak
long narrow wings
reversible outer toe
spiny foot pads for gripping fish
distribution worldwide near water bodies
ecologicalRole top predator in aquatic ecosystems
eggColor white with brown blotches
flightStyle soaring and hovering over water
foragingBehavior plunge-diving for fish
hasCharacteristic dense oily plumage aiding in water contact
keen vision for detecting fish from the air
strong talons adapted for catching fish
hasCommonRepresentative Osprey
surface form: osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
hasConservationConcern habitat loss in some regions
higherClassification Accipitriformes
surface form: Accipitrimorphae
huntingTime diurnal
kingdom Animalia
migratoryBehavior many populations are migratory
namedAfter genus Pandion
nestType large stick nests
notableFor osprey
order Accipitriformes
phylum Chordata
primaryPrey fish
recognizedAs monotypic or nearly monotypic family
recognizedBy American Ornithologists' Union
surface form: American Ornithological Society

International Ornithologists' Union
surface form: International Ornithological Committee
relatedTo Accipitridae
reproductiveStrategy nesting near water
sexualDimorphism females slightly larger than males
taxonRank family
typeGenus Pandion
typicalHabitat coastal waters
inland lakes
rivers
vertebrateGroup raptors

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Accipitriformes containsFamily Pandionidae