Pandionidae: Osprey

The Pandionidae family used to be in the Accipitridae family. Ornithologists (people who study birds) didn't think they belonged with the Accipiters because there were more differences between the Osprey and other raptors than there were things that were alike. Now the Osprey have their own group in the Falconiforme order called Pandionidae.
The Osprey is the only bird in the Pandionidae family. The differences between Osprey and other raptors are that:

	These birds dive into the water feet first to get prey.
	They eat fish most of the time.
	They can close up their nose when they dive under water.
	They have sharp barbs that stick out of their feet. These help them to hold on to slippery fish prey.
	They have an outer toe that can be turned backwards or forwards.

Bird in this family:

Osprey

Works Cited:

Osprey. 18 Oct. 2007. <http://pick5.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?act=x_ant&path=Vertebrata/Aves/Pandionidae&name=Pandionidae&xml=Bird_species&common_
name=Osprey>.

Osprey. 18 Oct. 2007. <http://www.thefez.net/osprey/articles/naturalhistory.htm>.

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