Photography of Birds – Set # 265
Set # 265
Osprey
The Osprey is piscivorous, with fish making up 99% of its diet. It typically takes fish weighing 150–300 g (5.3–10.6 oz) and about 25–35 cm (9.8–13.8 in) in length, but the weight can range from 50 g (1.8 oz) to 2 kg (4.4 lb). Virtually any type of fish in that size range are taken.
Ospreys have vision that is well adapted to detecting underwater objects from the air. Prey is first sighted when the osprey is 10–40 m (33–131 ft) above the water, after which the bird hovers momentarily then plunges feet first into the water. They catch fish by diving into a body of water, often times completely submerging their entire bodies. As an osprey dives it adjusts the angle of its flight to account for the distortion of the fish’s image caused by refraction. Ospreys will typically eat on a nearby perch, but have also been known to carry fish for longer distances.
Red-winged Blackbird
The male measures between 22 and 24 cm in length, while the female, 17 or 18 cm. Its wingspan is between 31 and 40 cm approximately. Both the peak male and the legs, the claws and the eyes are black; in the female beak is dark brown and clear in the upper half at the bottom, and the tail is medium in length and rounded. As in other species polygynous exists, the red-winged blackbird are considerable sexual dimorphism both in plumage and size, males weighing between 65 and 80g the females about 35g. Males are 50% heavier than females, 20% larger in its linear dimensions, and 20% larger compared to the length of their wings. The trend towards greater dimorphism in the size of non-monogamous ichterid species indicates that the larger size of males has evolved due to sexual selection.
© HJ Ruiz – Avian101
H.J. Ruiz - Avian101 
I enjoyed both bird photos and accompanying info, HJ. Interesting to read about the osprey’s underwater hunting skills.
Thank you very much, my friend. 🙂
Nice pics
Thanks, 🙂
Ospreys are rather scarce here in South Africa, so we always appreciate every encounter! Your photo of it is wonderful, H.J.
I’ll never forget the day I shot that picture, I was at a site in Florida, there were a dozen photographers from a group. I was next to a photographer from Japan, I asked him if they saw any birds, he said not much, then I told him that the day before I saw an Osprey fishing in the same marsh. He looks at me and makes a thumbs-up, I said thank you. He did a thumbs up again, I thanked him again, he takes my arm and turned me around. The Osprey was about 20 feet over me. I shot as many shots I could and every one was rushing to get a shot or two of the bird that was going away. The Japanese photographer said, I was pointing at the bird and you didn’t reacted! Thank you so much, D. 🙂
What a wonderful anecdote that is to the photograph, H.J!
Amazing
Thank you very much! 🙂
Thanks HJ, for your interesting info on these birds, our Eastern Osprey are very similar and found in here near the coast building their nests on power poles and aerials.
Our Osprey do the the same things here, just as you described it. Thank you Ashley. 🙂
Two wonderful shots of two favorite birds of mine! 🙂
Thank you very much, Donna. 🙂