Page 51 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

O (Pandion haliaetus)

Osprey

The body length of the male is 56 cm, that of the female is 64 cm; the
wingspan is from 147 to 183 cm. In adulthood, the birds are dark brown above
and white below, on the chest there is a transverse stripe. The head is white, with
a characteristic wide dark stripe from the eye to the back of the head, the feathers
on the back of the head are elongated and pointed in the form of a small tuft. The
eyes are yellow. The wings are relatively narrow and long, light below, with black
spots on the carpal folds and with dark maws. The tail is short.
It feeds almost exclusively on live fish (crucian carp, grayling and salmon: char,
kunzha, kokanee, migratory sockeye salmon, pink salmon, mykizha). Incase of
shortage of basic food, it catches small animals and birds (muskrat, ducks, gulls).
The nesting area of distribution in the Sakhalin region is island Sakhalin and the
South Kuril Islands (Kunashir, Iturup, Urup). During the nesting period, Osprey
was observed on Shikotan. During migration periods, they visit the Middle and
Northern Kuril Islands, including Paramushir, as well as the islands of Moneron
and Tyuleny. General distribution: all continents except Antarctica.

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