Eastern Osprey

Pandion cristatus(Vieillot, 1816)

Updated 21 March 2026

Also known asGinyaranyMiyarrYingge

Least ConcernNative

Order: ACCIPITRIFORMES
Family: Pandionidae
Genus: Pandion

At a glance

The Eastern Osprey is a large bird, about 50–65 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size: 50–65 cm
Conservation status: Least Concern
Origin: Native
Best seen: Year-round
Commonness: Very common

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does an Eastern Osprey look like?

The Eastern Osprey is a large bird, about 50–65 cm long and weighing 900–1600 g, identified by its dark brown eye-stripe on clean white head; sharply kinked wings creating an M-shape silhouette; dark carpal patches on pale underwing; and relatively short, square tail.

A large, fish-eating raptor with dark brown upperparts and white underparts. The white head features a prominent dark mask through the eye. In flight, it shows long, angled wings with a characteristic 'M' shape.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

01
Dark brown eye-stripe on clean white head
A prominent, dark line runs from the bill through the eye and down the side of the neck, contrasting sharply with the clean white head.
02
Sharply kinked wings creating an M-shape silhouette
Wings are held distinctly arched from the body with a prominent crook at the carpal joint, creating a unique 'M-shape' silhouette in flight.
03
Dark carpal patches on pale underwing
Conspicuous dark patches at the bend of the underwing, visible against the pale flight feathers when viewed from below.
04
Relatively short, square tail
Contrasts with its long wings, appearing truncated and contributing to a distinctive flight profile.

Field specs

Length: 50–65 cm
Weight: 900–1600 g
Wingspan: 145 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

behaviour

Watch for the bird to vigorously shake its entire body in mid-air to shed water immediately after rising from a dive.

flight

Identify the bird from below by the conspicuous black 'wrist' patches (carpal joints) which contrast sharply with the otherwise white underwing coverts.
The flight profile often appears distinctly gull-like due to deeply bowed wingbeats and noticeably drooping wingtips.

plumage

Look for a dark, streaked 'necklace' across the white breast; this marking is typically prominent in females but faint or entirely absent in males.

size_and_shape

Notice the relatively small, flat-topped head which often looks disproportionately tiny compared to the bird's long, lanky wings.

voice

Listen for a series of high-pitched, piercing piping whistles, typically sounding like 'cheep-cheep' or 'yewk-yewk', which may escalate if the bird is agitated.

03 · When

When to look

When can you see an Eastern Osprey?

The Eastern Osprey is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does an Eastern Osprey eat?

The Eastern Osprey feeds on fish, usually foraging in plunge-diving.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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