What's the difference between an Eagle and an Osprey ?
Eagles are larger, have a dark chest and underside, white tails, yellow legs and hold their wings flat
when they fly. Juvenile eagles are all brown and get their adult plumage (white head and tail) around year 4 or 5.
(Eagles nests are larger with finer woody materials which are
often reused for many years. They are often located in the largest tree in the area or an artificial structure
like a cell tower.)
Ospreys are smaller, have a white chest and underside, grey legs and feet and their wings are not held flat
when they fly.
(Osprey nests are smaller, often lined with bark, sod, grasses,
vines and sometimes plastic bags. They are often located on nesting platforms or on top of sign posts/no wake signs.
The Osprey, sometimes known as a
sea-hawk or fish eagle is a fish-eating bird of prey. It is one of the largest birds of prey in North America
and are comfortable living near the waters of Charlotte Harbor. The adult male can be distinguished from the female
by its slimmer body and narrower wings. Osprey can weigh close to 5 pounds, can grow
to 2 foot long and have a wingspan up to 6 feet. They usually mate for life. In the spring the mated pair begins
a 5 month period of partnership to raise their offspring.
Paul Boyer and his neighbor at the seaward end of Morgan Lane
have nurtured a family of several generations of Osprey. They have a high pole with
a nesting platform at its top which is home to this Osprey family. Residents of the
Grassy Point Sailing Community have long enjoyed our close relationship with nature watching the cycle of life
with these Osprey.
The Eagle is a large, powerfully built bird of prey with a heavy head and beak. It has
extremely powerful eyesight enabling it to spot potential prey from a very long distance. It grabs prey without
landing carrying it to a perch for consumption. Eagles can be seen in the Charlotte Harbor area.
The above four photos provided by Pat Fregd (DPR Realty)
