Ospray (Ozniyyah)

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Duration: 1min

The ospray is a bird allied to the large fish-eating eagles. It steadily balances itself over the water with scarcely a wing moving, and darts down upon a fish when it comes to the surface, strikes its sharp hooked talons into its side, and carries it to the shore. It was classed among the unclean birds (Lev. 11:13¹³And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Leviticus 11:13); Deut. 14:12¹²But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, (Deuteronomy 14:12)). The ospray belongs to the family of Falconidæ, of the order of birds which seize their food with violence. The Pandion haliaeetus is the species probably alluded to.