A Window on Wildlife

Photo from National Geographic: Osprey ready to grab a fish.

Ospreys are hawks with specialized attributes that enable them to catch and carry fish. When an osprey dives beneath the water's surface, its long talons and strong toes grab a fish's back, while spiky scales on the undersides of their feet create grip. In this Osprey Catching Fish video, you can watch its great effort to free the submerged wings enough to take flight, and you can see it maneuver it's prey so the fish faces forward in an aerodynamic position. Then, as the osprey clears the water, it'll shake like a dog to release heavy water. All effort must go toward escaping the deadly watery realm with its dinner.