Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Osprey (Pandionidae) · Accipitriformes (Accipitriformes)
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Often mixed up with
In quizzes, players most often confuse Osprey with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.
| Species | Mix-ups |
|---|---|
| Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus | 7 |
| European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus | 7 |
| Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus | 2 |
| Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus | 2 |
| Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus | 2 |
Family
Pandion is a genus of fish-eating bird of prey, known as ospreys, the only genus of the family Pandionidae. The genus Pandion is named for the mythical Greek figure of the same name. Some taxonomic arrangements place it alongside the hawks and eagles in the family Accipitridae — which itself can be regarded as making up the bulk of the order Accipitriformes — or else allied with the Falconidae into Falconiformes.
Order
The Accipitriformes (; from Latin accipiter 'hawk' and formes 'having the form of') are an order of birds that includes most of the diurnal birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, vultures, kites, ospreys and secretary birds, but not falcons or seriemas. The generally nocturnal owls, also considered birds of prey, are a separate order from the accipitriformes. For a long time, the majority view was to include them with the falcons in the Falconiformes, but many authorities now recognize a …