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6

Eastern Osprey (Pandion cristatus) [formerly a race of Pandion haliaetus] Alternate name(s): "Australasian Osprey", "Osprey", "Fish eagle", "River hawk", "Sea hawk" Aboriginal name(s): "bihyin" [eastern bundjalung]; "wuk" [tjapwurrung]; "yoondoordo" (WA) Size: 50 cm (male), 65 cm (female); wing span up to 1.7 m Weight: 0.9-1.2 kg (male), 1.2-1.6 kg (female)

Australia: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Osprey Brahminy Kite Whistling Kite Little Eagle Black Kite Square-tailed Kite Black-breasted Buzzard Wedge-tailed Eagle White-bellied Sea-Eagle Spotted Harrier Swamp Harrier Black-shouldered Kite Letter-winged Kite Pacific Baza Collared Sparrowhawk Brown Goshawk Grey Goshawk Red Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Australian Hobby Peregrine Falcon Brown Falcon Grey Falcon Black Falcon Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Eastern Ospreys are medium-sized birds of prey. Their overall appearance is greyish-brown, with a light grey front (throat, belly, vent) and brownish dark-grey back (mantle, wings, uppertail). The face has prominent grey eye stripes around eyes with yellow irises. The underwing pattern is scalloped light-grey (leading edge) to mid-grey (flight feathers) to dark grey (alulas and tips of primaries). The bill is dark-grey; the legs and feet are grey, with dark-grey talons. The only difference between the sexes is that female Ospreys have a streaked breast band, while males don't. Juvenile Eastern Ospreys have a heavier chest band than adult females, which is also more brownish, and a more brownish head.

Taxonomy, classification See Osprey at Wikipedia . Click here for classification information The Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus, is no longer considered to be a race of the Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, but has now been given full species status. Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were seen by us in Oman and in Europe.

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Eastern Osprey is available HERE . Eastern Ospreys are found in eastern Indonesia, southern Papua New Guinea, the Solmon Islands, Fiji and in Australia. Eastern Ospreys populate almost the entire Australian coastline, except for some parts of the South coast (the Nullarbor and the South coast of VIC). Apart from the lower courses of some major rivers, Eastern Ospreys are not usually found farther inland. They are present on some islands in the Timor Sea towards Indonesia. Eastern Ospreys hunt in mangrove marshes, estuaries and along rivers, but also coastal waters and around offshore islands. Where to look? How to find this species? Eastern Ospreys are most easily found riding updraughts along the coastline of the continent, especially near headlands. They will often hover facing into the breeze, searching for prey in the coastal water below.

Sightings Click here for sighting information We first saw a family of Eastern Ospreys in Australia near the estuary of the Greenough River, South of Geraldton, WA, in July 2003. The species was spotted in the same area in June 2011 by S. Kirkby. Over the years we, and various contributors, have found Eastern Ospreys in many different locations along the East coast of Australia, in both QLD and NSW. Several contributors report finding Eastern Ospreys regularly along the entire coastline of WA, from the far South to the northern coastline near Broome, WA. C. Hayne reports that Eastern Ospreys appear to be colonizing the area near Moree, NSW, moving downstream along the Mehi and Gwydir Rivers towards the centre of the continent. Various sightings have been reported in 2013 (Moree town common and North of Moree) and 2014 (North of Moree and at Whittaker's Lagoon, 25 km West of Moree). An Eastern Osprey was spotted again in inland NSW by S. Barwick, who found a bird hunting fish in a large waterhole of the Castlereagh River in the township of Gilgandra, NSW, in June 2017. The bird was spotted by M. Windeyer at the same location again in July 2017. J. Greaves reports spotting an Eastern Osprey in Alyangula, Groote Eylandt, NT, in September 2014. P. Brown and B. Hensen report finding Eastern Osprey at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in June/July 2018, where they were found nesting at the time. Since then they have been found there semi-regularly.

Photos

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here .

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Eastern Osprey - note the white chest without a speckled band (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Osprey - note the "collar" (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra, QLD, August 2017]

Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Osprey with its wings extended (photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Bribie Island, QLD, July 2014]

Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Osprey with its wings extended to fend off a harassing Magpie-lark
(photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Bribie Island, QLD, July 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey with its wings extended to fend off an annoying Magpie-lark
(photo courtesy of B. Kinross)
[Bribie Island, QLD, July 2014]

Near-lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey with its prey, a fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey with its prey, a fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]

Frontal view of a female Eastern Osprey in flight (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Port Douglas, QLD, May 2022]

Lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey in flight; as seen the bird was stationary in an onshore updraught
[Sawtell Lookout, Sawtell, NSW, January 2011]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a female Eastern Osprey looking around in flight
[Sawtell Lookout, Sawtell, NSW, January 2011]

Dorsal view of a female Eastern Osprey in flight shaking itself thoroughly while maintaining its position above the coastline
[Sawtell Lookout, Sawtell, NSW, January 2011]

Dorsal/ventral view of a female Eastern Osprey
[Sawtell Lookout, Sawtell, NSW, January 2011]

Female Eastern Osprey being harassed in-flight by a Black Kite (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Near Moree, NSW, July 2013]

Sex unknown

Near-dorsal view of an Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Rottnest Island, WA, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a preening Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra Headland, QLD, January 2018]

Dorsal view of an Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey - note the streaked breast band and the light edges to the wing feathers - with, for size comparison, a Silver Gull (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey; this is one of two birds whose calls were recorded on 27 May 2020
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey; this is one of two birds whose calls were recorded on 22 December 2019 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, December 2019]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey; this is the other of two birds whose calls were recorded on 22 December 2019 (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, December 2019]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[King Island, Moreton Bay, QLD, January 2020]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey, now looking backwards (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[King Island, Moreton Bay, QLD, January 2020]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey looking around and thereby displaying the brownish tips of the feathers along its neck and breast band (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey; this is the bird that was harassed by a Black Kite (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Muirhead Bush, Darwin, NT, July 2021]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey; note the light edges of the feathers
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, January 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Peel Inlet, Coondanup, WA, May 2015]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey in flight, wings flat (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey in flight (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Lateral view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey in flight (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Juvenile Eastern Osprey banking to land (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey in flight (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Austin Bay, near Mandurah, WA, March 2017]

Breeding information

Breeding season: May - Oct

Eggs: 2 - 3

Incubation period: 33 days

Fledging age: 50 - 60 days

Note that Eastern Ospreys breed through the southern winter. Nests, preferably in locations with a commanding view, are often re-used for many years.

Nest building: Male & female?

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Male & female

Twitcher's tip

Note that, by the time they fledge (i.e., leave their nest), the young of all species of raptors - apart from the tail and wing feathers (which are still growing) - are already full adult-size.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, bark, seeweed, bones, debris

Height above ground: 10 - 30 m

Eastern Ospreys can nest in trees or on high rock platforms on cliff edges, often very high above sea level.

Pair of Eastern Ospreys at their nest
[Near Harrington, NSW, October 2023]

Lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey carrying a stick to its nest (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Point Douglas, Heritage Island, QLD, May 2022]

Eastern Osprey at its nest site atop a lighthouse (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Point Douglas, Heritage Island, QLD, May 2022]

Eastern Osprey working on its nest for an early start to the season (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD, April 2018]

Eastern Osprey on its nest in the top of a tree which looks like an (introduced) Norfolk Pine (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra, QLD, August 2017]

Eastern Osprey in its fancy nest in a metal bowl provided for that purpose (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Iluka, NSW, April 2011]

Here another Eastern Osprey at its avant garde nest on a radio communications tower (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, July 2018]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 60 x 45 mm

Colour: Creamy, with dark-brown speckles

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair

NB: The Eastern Osprey, Pandion cristatus, is the only sedentary Osprey. All races of the now distinct species Pandion haliaetus are migratory.

Although usually close to the Australian coastline, Eastern Ospreys are occasionally found farther inland, especially along major inland rivers.

Eastern Osprey spotted in the township of Moree, NSW (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[Moree, NSW, July 2013]

Eastern Osprey taking a bath (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, May 2020]

Food, Diet

Adults: Fish

Dependents: As adults

Water intake: None

All raptors are carnivores. Eastern Ospreys feed on fish, which they can catch up to 1 m below the water surface.

During the first few weeks, raptors feed their chicks with pieces of meat. Later on in their development, the chicks learn to tear apart their parents' prey.

Eastern Ospreys can catch and carry substantial prey
[Wingham, NSW, October 2023]

Close-up near-frontal view of a juvenile Eastern Osprey with its prey (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey dissecting a fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dundowran Beach, Hervey Bay, QLD, May 2018]

Eastern Osprey with its meal, a mullet (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, May 2022]

Eastern Osprey plucking apart a fish (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[South West Rocks, NSW, July 2017]

Juvenile Eastern Osprey with the "catch of the day" (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2019]

Lateral view of a female Eastern Osprey carrying away its kill (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Point Douglas, Heritage Island, QLD, May 2022]

Dorsal view of a female Eastern Osprey carrying away its kill (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Point Douglas, Heritage Island, QLD, May 2022]

This Eastern Osprey was disturbed by us when sitting on a power pole and devouring its meal; it is still holding the remnants in one of its talons
[Near Hat Head, NSW, January 2011]

An Eastern Osprey's unsuccessful attempt to grab a fish (photo courtesy of S. Barwick)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, June 2017]

Eastern Osprey taking off after an unsuccessful attempt to grab a fish (photo courtesy of S. Barwick)
[Castlereagh River, Gilgandra, NSW, June 2017]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

osprey_pb_20191222_2.m4a	(Top End, NT)	? (juvenile)	© PB
osprey_pb_20191222_3.m4a	(Top End, NT)	? (juvenile)	© PB
osprey_pb_20191222.m4a	(Top End, NT)	? (juvenile)	© PB
blkite_pb_20210730.m4a	(Top End, NT)	Distress calls (Juvenile harassed by Black Kite)	© PB

More Eastern Osprey sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Thu, 12 October 2023, 5:43 +00:00