Photo by BarrytheBirder
Osprey over lake Seneca
There was a medieval belief that fish were so mesmerized by the osprey that they turned belly-up in surrender. In fact ospreys are superbly equipped to catch fish, so that no fantasy about upside-down fish was ever appropriate. The moment an osprey plunges into water in pursuit of fish, its talons are almost undeniable. It has large sharp talons, reversible outer toes (two forward and two back for better grip), sharp needle-like spicules on the underside of toes, backward-facing scales on the talons which act as barbs to help hold its catch. It is so adept at catching fish that 99% of its diet is piscatory.
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BarrytheBirder
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