Osprey

    Pandion haliaetus

Castilian: Águila pescadora

Catalan: Àguila pescadora

Gallego: Aguia pescadora

Euskera: Arrano arrantzalea

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Falconiformes

Family: Pandionidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

On the National List of Threatened Species, it appears in the “Vulnerable” category. In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Critically Endangered”.

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THREATS

Destruction of habitat due to tourist urbanisation, water sports and fishermen, and electrical cables. All of these things make it very difficult for the species to recover.

Length / size: 53-66 cm / 147-174 cm

Identification: Medium-sized bird of prey that is white on the bottom with a mottled breast and a striated collar that is more defined in females; its back is very dark. It has a white crown with a black band that looks like a facial disc around its yellowish eyes. In flight the contrast between its pale wings that are crossed by dark bands and its barred tail stands out. When searching for food, it is able to hover.

Song: Its alarm call when in flight is "keeoo keeoo keeoo".

Diet: It almost exclusively feeds on fish that it catches by thrusting its bill into the water.

Reproduction: The breeding cycle begins in mid-March. Both adults build the nest above marine cliffs using branches, moss, bark and grass. The female is in charge of incubation and caring for the chicks, while the male is responsible for capturing the food.

HABITAT

It breeds in cliffs and eats in nearby areas such as bays, estuaries or inland lakes.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It breeds in the Canary, Balearic and Chafarinas Islands; it winters in Andalusia, the Valencian Community and Extremadura.

In Castile and León: In winter it remains in isolated locations, such as the reservoirs of Aguilar (Palencia), Las Vencías (Segovia) and Rosarito (Ávila).

Movements and migrations: The northern populations are migratory and cross the peninsula headed for the strait, in order to later cross into tropical Africa.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 30-38 breeding pairs (2003 data).

In Castile and León: Observations are for passage migrant specimens.