What we see here, on the first photo, is an Osprey getting ready to take a bath. The Osprey is thought to bathe often, but usually it stands in the shallow water and bathes there. There is a description in some literature of an Osprey taking a bath by diving into the water but not much more detail was reported and it was more a suggestion as the bird dived several times in a row without taking any fish. Even though I wanted to see this behavior I realized that my chances were slim and I might have the same problem of not being sure if the Osprey is fishing or bathing. Well, in this observed case there were no doubts at all. In this quiz folder I will show most bathing behaviors except one as it is unknown, not described yet, and I will take some time to work on my material.

First I will start with the photo showing the dive into the water to take a bath. What is different from a typical dive when trying to strike a fish? These are not rules written in stone but please note the wings and head positions. When diving to strike prey, an Osprey at the last moment is trying to gain maximum speed and strike with maximum force. Wings are extended to the back and kept close together. When diving to bathe note that wings are not folded for maximum speed and impact. Also at the last moment before plunging, when fishing, the Osprey is placing its stretched neck with its head right between its feet maintaining visual contact with the prey. Note that during the bathing plunge its head is not placed between its feet; with slower speed there is no need for a perfect plunging/striking position and no need to follow moving fish but the bird is rather only monitoring the water to avoid undersurface obstructions. Feet and talon positions are practically identical in both types of plunge and probably the main function in a bathing dive is to protect the head from unexpected collision with any unseen subject under the water.

Now lets go back to the observed bathing scene I enjoyed watching and photographing so much for about 5 minutes. It was a mixture of several plunging dives, floating on the water surface trashing wings and dipping head, dragging feet in the water and one more unknown behavior that I will omit discussing at this moment. All observed behaviors were repeated several times during these 5 minutes of bathing.

Lets start with the feet dragging as it is, at least to me, the most impressive photo presented now. We still do not know for sure if its function is to clean the feet or to cool the body temperature, or both. I think it is used for both purposes but, so far, I have collected more evidence pointing to cooling as the primary reason and feet cleaning being a secondary benefit. But many more observations have to be done to bring more light on this behavior. Now, here is my pride. A close-up photo of the Osprey dragging its feet in the water. I wish that I would be able to share unknown behavior soon, as it is even more dramatic and also was performed several times excluding possibility of an accidental occurrence.

And a few selected photos in this folder are illustrating an Osprey half-submerged in the water performing its bath.

Thanks "Santa" Osprey for his best gift to me on Christmas Day.

All the best,

Mark