Head Markings: Even from a distance, the white and brown pattern on an osprey's head is distinct.While the shape of the wings can seem to vary depending on the bird's flight pattern, a soaring osprey has relatively straight wings with a slight crook. Wing Size and Shape: For their body size, ospreys have very long, rectangular wings.Primary Feathers: When soaring, an osprey's primary feathers–the 'fingertips' of the wings–have a wide splay that shows the individual feathers easily, even from great distances.The legs and feet themselves are whitish-gray. Feet: Ospreys are aggressive hunters and have thick, strong legs and feet with sharply curved, black talons.Dead trees, power poles and other sturdy perches are preferred, and these large raptors will not perch on wires. Perch: Ospreys frequently perch in open areas near water with abundant fish.A juvenile osprey, however, will have a buff or whitish edging to the feathers that can give it a scaly look. Upperparts: A mature osprey has chocolate-brown upperparts with no wing bars, mottling or other distinguishing markings.Some minor brown mottling may show around the base of the throat, but white is by far the dominant color. Throat and Underparts: Ospreys have countershaded plumage with white underparts, from the chin and throat to the undertail coverts.The bill is black and has a thick base, but is smaller than an eagle's bill. Bill: Ospreys have a strongly hooked bill suitable for ripping into prey.The stripe is slightly narrower at the eyes and widens toward the nape, connecting to the dark plumage of the upperparts. Auriculars: A broad chocolate brown stripe extends across the osprey's auriculars.Immature birds have darker orange-yellow eyes that gradually lighten as they reach sexual maturity. Eyes: Mature ospreys have bright yellow, piercing eyes with a dark pupil.Depending on the bird's posture, the size of the white crown may vary.

Crown: An osprey's crown is pure, plain white with a chocolate brown band across the forehead.The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.

Split tail kite bird