Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Medium-sized birds of prey appear on all continents except Antarctica. In spring, around the month of May, the courtship begins, which consists of a spectacular series of acrobatic flights over the nest, ascending to high altitude and then making a dive to almost the ground. The paired birds also perform joint flights, with rapid chases between the trees around the nest, the result is a laying of two or three eggs, depending on the age of the female, which will be incubated for about five weeks.

Habitat:

Rivers, lakes, and coast. They are found near the water, either fresh or salty, where there are large numbers of fish. They may be more common to find around major coastal estuaries and salt marshes, but they are also prevalent around large lakes, reservoirs, or rivers. Sometimes ospreys migrate away from the water and even into the desert.

Diet:

Mostly fish. It usually feeds on fish between 4″ and 12″ (10 to 30 cm) in length. The type of fish varies by region but is concentrated in the common species of each locality. In addition to fish, it rarely eats small mammals, birds, or reptiles, especially if fish are scarce.

Location:

Resident bird with year-round sighting most likely in winter and spring. It is found throughout Islas del Mar particularly in areas near the lagoons.