J. G. Wood

The Osprey, or Fishing Eagle—Its geographical range—Mode of securing prey—Structure of its feet—Its power of balancing itself in the air.

We now come to the Osprey itself (Pandion haliaËtus), which was undoubtedly one of the birds grouped together under the collective term Asniyeh. This word occurs only in the two passages in Deut. xiv. and Lev. xi. which have been several times quoted already, and need not be mentioned again.

This fine bird is spread over a very large range of country, and is found in the New World as well as the Old. In consequence of its peculiar habits, it is often called the Fishing Eagle.

The Osprey is essentially a fish-eater. It seems very strange that a predacious bird allied to the eagles, none of which birds can swim, much less dive, should obtain its living from the water. That the cormorant and other diving birds should do so is no matter of surprise, inasmuch as they are able to pursue the fish in their own element, and catch them by superior speed. But any bird which cannot dive, and which yet lives on fish, is forced to content itself with those fish that come to the surface of the water, a mode of obtaining a livelihood which does not appear to have much chance of success. Yet the Osprey does on a large scale what the kingfisher does on a small one, and contrives to find abundant food in the water.

Its method of taking prey is almost exactly like that which is employed by the kingfisher. When it goes out in search of food, it soars into the air, and floats in circles over the water, watching every inch of it as narrowly as a kestrel watches a stubble-field. No sooner does a fish rise toward the surface to take a fly, or to leap into the air for sport, than the Osprey darts downwards, grasps the fish in its talons, drags the struggling prey from the water, and with a scream of joy and triumph bears it away to shore, where it can be devoured at leisure.

The bird never dives, neither does it seize the fish with its beak like the kingfisher. It plunges but slightly into the water, as[437]
[438] otherwise it would not be able to use its strong wings and carry off its prey. In order to enable the bird to seize the hard and slippery body of the fish, it is furnished with long, very sharp, and boldly-hooked talons, which force themselves into the sides of the fish, and hold it as with grappling irons.

THE OSPREY SEARCHING FOR FISH.

The flight of the Osprey is peculiarly easy and elegant, as might be expected from a bird the length of whose body is only twenty-two inches, and the expanse of wing nearly five feet and a half.

It is therefore able to hover over the water for long periods of time, and can balance itself in one spot without seeming to move a wing, having the singular facility of doing so even when a tolerably strong breeze is blowing. It has even been observed to maintain its place unmoved when a sharp squall swept over the spot.

Harmless though the Osprey be—except to the fish—it is a most persecuted bird, being everywhere annoyed by rooks and crows, and, in America, robbed by the more powerful white-headed eagle.

Such a scene is thus described by Wilson:

"Elevated on the high, dead limb of a gigantic tree that commanded a wide view of the neighbouring shore and ocean, the great white-headed eagle calmly surveys the motions of various smaller birds that pursue their busy avocations below.

"The snow-white gulls slowly winnowing the air; the trains of ducks streaming over the surface; silent and watchful cranes, intent and wading, and all the winged multitude that subsist by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature.

"High over all these, hovers one whose action instantly arrests the eagle's attention. By his wide curvature of wing and sudden suspension in the air he knows him to be the Osprey, settling over some devoted victim of the deep. The eyes of the eagle kindle at the sight, and balancing himself with half-opened wings on the branch, he watches the result.

"Down, rapid as an arrow, from heaven descends the Osprey, the roar of its wings reaching the ear as it disappears in the water, making the surges foam around! At this moment the eager looks of the eagle are all ardour, and, levelling his neck for flight, he sees the Osprey once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and mounting in the air with screams of exultation.

"These are the signals for the eagle, who, launching into the[439]
[440] air, instantly gives chase, and soon gains on the Osprey; each exerts his utmost to mount above the other, displaying in this encounter the most elegant and sublime aËrial evolutions.

snatched

SNATCHED FROM THE DEEP: THE OSPREY RISES WITH HIS PREY.

"The unencumbered eagle rapidly advances, and is just on the point of reaching his opponent, when, with a sudden scream, probably of despair and honest execration, the Osprey drops his fish.

"The eagle, poising himself for a moment, as if to take a more certain aim, descends like a whirlwind, snatches it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and bears his ill-gotten booty silently away to the woods."

Although not very plentiful in Palestine, nor indeed in any other country, the Osprey is seen throughout the whole of that country where it can find a sufficiency of water. It prefers the sea-shore and the rivers of the coast, and is said to avoid the Sea of Galilee.