What Do Ospreys Eat? (Complete Guide)

Osprey (prawns) is the only member of Shrimp family family, are among the best-studied raptors. The Osprey is a strong, sturdy bird that is very flexible in terms of habitat, found in most parts of the world and has a highly specialized diet. So, what do ospreys eat?

Ospreys are master fishers, 99% of their food is fish. Ospreys have several special adaptations that help them catch fish, including flippable toes and barbed pads on their feet. They hunt a wide variety of fish – over 80 species in North America!

Ospreys rarely prey on lizards, amphibians, other birds, and small mammals, which make up the remaining 1 percent of their diet, but are excellent at fishing. In the UK, there is little evidence that ospreys prey on anything other than fish.

Ospreys are professional fishermen

In fact, the sight of ospreys hunting their prey is impressive because they are so efficient and rarely make mistakes. Their specialized diet also helps ensure that they rarely compete with other raptors for food.

Ospreys have captured our imaginations for thousands of years and appear in many ancient Roman and Chinese writings and religious scriptures. They are also the namesake of several sports teams, including the Welsh rugby team, the Ospreys and the American football team the Seattle Seahawks.

Read on to learn more about the diet and hunting behavior of this magnificent bird!

Osprey perched, eating fish

What Types of Fish Do Ospreys Eat?

Ospreys eat a variety of fish, and their diets vary widely depending on where they are in the world and what kind of water sources are nearby. In general, ospreys prefer to target medium-sized fish, approximately 15 to 35 centimeters in length and weighing an average of 100 to 300 grams.

However, Ospreys have been observed carrying large fish that can weigh over 1 kg!

Ospreys can dive to a depth of around 1 meter, which means they can only catch fish close to the surface.

North America

In North America, the osprey’s diet includes about 80 species of fish. In freshwater habitats such as Michigan, California, and the Pacific Northwest, more than 30 species of fish commonly feature in their diets. The main food items include herring, flounder, carp, sunfish, perch, perch, bullhead, whitefish and salmon. Diets vary by region; in Washington, osprey eat mostly salmon, carp, and small fish, while in Massachusetts, osprey eat mostly herring. In Yellowstone, Wyoming, and Montana, ospreys feed primarily on trout.

U.K.

In the UK, osprey most commonly eat trout, pike, salmon, trout, flounder, mullet and perch. Their diet varies depending on whether they hunt at sea or in fresh water. However, Ospreys are not specialized in one specific aquatic environment – they are all-rounders, capable of fishing in almost any aquatic environment, including rivers, lakes, offshore, estuaries, reservoirs, etc.

Ospreys may hunt 3 to 5 different species at each feeding point. They are happy to roam between feeding spots if necessary.

Ospreys are migratory, so their diet changes depending on where they are located. Nimble yet expert hunters, ospreys are adept at adapting their hunting skills to the climate, environment and prey.

Wild Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) fishing in Rothiemurchus, Scottish Highlands

How much fish does an osprey eat in a day?

Adult ospreys typically eat about 300 grams (10 ounces) of food per day, usually 1 to 4 fish.

Ospreys may eat as many as 10 to 20 fish a day when only smaller fish are available. Many dives resulted in catching several small fish.

Ospreys will try to catch an entire day’s worth of food at once if possible, and if they can’t do it all at once, then carry food with them throughout the day. If they catch a large fish (500g+ is likely), they probably won’t be able to finish the whole fish. Ospreys have been known to discard any fish they cannot eat.

Research has shown that ospreys don’t hoard, meaning they don’t store food in a safe place and return to it later.

Osprey is also known as sea eagle, river eagle and osprey

What do ospreys eat besides fish?

Ospreys will eat a small portion of voles, birds, snakes, squirrels and muskrats (these only make up about 1% of their diet).

On rare occasions, ospreys have been seen dropping conch shells from great heights and eating the molluscs inside.

Particularly severe weather is thought to prompt ospreys to turn their attention to food sources other than fish. In the UK, ospreys are hardly ever seen eating anything other than fish. However, in Africa, after migration, ospreys are sometimes seen eating small animals and lizards until they settle down. Rock iguanas are one of the most common non-fish prey for ospreys.

Ospreys have also been observed in isolation eating dead fish or even the carrion of land mammals such as deer, but again, this is very rare or unusual.

Osprey perched on a branch

Do Ospreys Eat Other Birds?

Ospreys rarely eat other birds. While there is observational evidence that this is happening, it’s so rare that it doesn’t really say what specific birds the ospreys are targeting.

If ospreys are really having a hard time finding fish (eg, their feeding grounds are still frozen when they return from migration), they might consider diversifying their diet.

How do ospreys hunt and capture prey?

Ospreys hunt by swooping down the water at high speed, hooking fish with their talons.

When hunting, ospreys usually hover and flap their wings at an altitude of about 10 to 40 meters above open inland waters, but at sea they can rise to heights of more than 200 meters to catch schools of fish. They also hunt in treetop habitats, especially when they forage from lakesides or downstream from rivers.

Ospreys have excellent vision for spotting fish just below the surface — their vision is about 5 to 6 times that of humans.

Once the Osprey has sighted a valid target, it adjusts itself to an attack position and rapidly descends into the water at speeds of up to 80 mph (128 km/h). The Osprey enters the water first and can dive to a depth of about 1 meter if necessary. They adjust the angle of attack depending on the conditions and the size and speed of the fish.

osprey fishing

osprey adaptation

Ospreys have several special adaptations that help them catch fish:

• Reversible outer toes help them hook fish from the front as they glide through the water.
• The toes have sharp spicules and barbs that help them catch slippery fish.
• Thick, thick, greasy feathers repel water, preventing feathers from getting too wet and waterlogged.
• Closable nostrils prevent water from entering the nose while diving.

By pointing two toes forward and two toes backward, an osprey can easily grab a fish’s barrel shape. This is a rare and unusual adaptation known as sapphire.

Of the flying birds (except penguins), the osprey is probably the best raptor for fishing. While other raptors also prey on fish such as sea eagles, they do not possess the same level of specific dietary adaptations as ospreys.

osprey diving fishing

Are Ospreys Carnivores?

Ospreys are carnivores, but they are best described as piscivores. Piscivores are carnivores that eat only fish.

While ospreys do eat other animals, fish make up at least 99 percent of their diet. In fact, many ospreys will likely never taste the flesh of anything other than fish!

How Often Do Ospreys Eat?

Ospreys try to conserve energy as much as possible and only dive as much as needed to ensure they are well fed, while also considering feeding any chicks where applicable.

Ospreys can easily catch an entire day’s worth of feed at a time. The diving success rate is as high as 75%, so the osprey does not need to dive multiple times a day to catch enough food.

An osprey flies away with a Kokanee salmon, Hayden Lake, North Idaho

What do small ospreys eat?

Young ospreys eat food delivered by their parents. Like their parents, their diet is almost entirely fish.

Typically, the male brings food to the nest for the female to prepare, shred and distribute to the chicks. Sometimes, females also hunt. Parental feeding continues from the breeding season until winter migration, which may last 10 to 20 days.

Osprey feeding chickfish in nest

How can I attract an Osprey?

Ospreys are big users of artificial nesting platforms, and this is a great way to attract them (as well as other birds of prey). You also need to be within about 1km of a sizable open water source; ideally a lake or estuary.

Nesting platforms are enclosed platforms located 10 to 30 feet above the ground, usually designed with forks, somewhat like the forks of a tree. In fact, you can find plans for building an Osprey lair platform online.

What can I feed an Osprey?

The only way to feed ospreys is to provide them with effective foraging places in the form of lakes or large ponds. Ospreys are professional hunters and will not eat food provided to them by humans (unless kept in captivity).

Osprey perched on a tree eating fish

What do Ospreys drink?

Ospreys are almost guaranteed to get all of their water needs from eating fish.

Do Ospreys Use Bird Feeders?

As birds of prey, ospreys do not use bird feeders. Instead, they are professional fishermen and eat almost exclusively fresh, succulent fish. No seeds, fruit or nuts here!

Osprey hunting trout

Osprey Diet FAQs

Do Ospreys Eat Squirrels?

Ospreys have been known to prey on ground squirrels, but this is rare. Ospreys make up 99 percent of their diet fish, but they have been known to prey on land mammals when their lake feeding grounds freeze over.

Do Ospreys Eat Rabbits?

Similar to squirrels, ospreys have been observed preying on land mammals. However, this is rare.

Do Ospreys Eat Ducks?

There is no real evidence that ospreys eat ducks, although they do eat some small birds in isolated cases. But, in general, it’s safe to say that ospreys don’t eat ducks.

a successful fishing

Do Ospreys Eat Snakes?

Ospreys have been seen eating lizards and snakes in Africa. However, this is rare and only occurs when the osprey first arrives during migration and has not yet found a reliable fishing ground.

Do ospreys eat iguanas?

Ospreys have been observed eating iguanas after migrating to Africa. Rock iguanas are often found near water, so ospreys may prey on them from time to time.

Do Ospreys Eat Otters?

There is no evidence that ospreys eat otters.

Do Ospreys Eat Cats?

There is no evidence that ospreys eat cats.

Do Ospreys Eat Dogs?

There is no evidence that ospreys eat dogs.