A large, fish-eating bird of prey, brown above and white below, found near water on every continent except Antarctica. It hovers, then plunges feet first, often going completely under the water. It is the only living species in its family.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inWorldwide
HabitatCoast, Rivers & lakes, Wetland
ColoursBrown, White
SizeLarge
Length50–66 cm
Weight0.9–2.1 kg
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives inpairs
Lives for7–10 years
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Every continent except Antarctica. European birds winter in Africa and North American birds in South America; Australian birds stay put.
- What it eats
- Fish, which make up 99% of its diet, usually 25–35 cm long; rarely small mammals, snakes or birds.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
Its reversible outer toe lets it grip a slippery fish with two toes in front and two behind.
It can close its nostrils to keep water out during a dive.
Its nests can be 2 m wide and weigh about 135 kg, and some sites have been used for 70 years.
Often confused with
On these lists
Sources
Last reviewed
Play
Could you have guessed it?
A photo, a few hints, one guess. Same 438 animals.
