

Holiday 2018
32
Disponible en línea en español.
The
Osprey,
Hudson
River’s
Greatest
Angler
By Gil Hawkins
B
ack when birds were recognized by their
diets or habitat, the Osprey was commonly called
river hawk, sea hawk or fish hawk. Our western
osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is not a hawk, it is a
subspecies of its own genus osprey and is a rather
unique bird. It is a large raptor often mistaken
for a bald eagle. Having a wingspan of more than
71 inches, or six feet, and perched it stands two
feet tall. It is brown and gray with white under
markings on it’s body and wings. It has a mostly
white head with a dark stripe through its eye
giving it the appearance of white crown.
Photoss by Dr. Gordon Ellmers, Jr.
Dr. Gordon Ellmers, Jr is a world
renowned photographer who owns
the Fort Edward Animal Hospital.