Osprey

The osprey is a large, fish-eating bird of prey known for its distinctive brown and white plumage, white head with a dark eye stripe, and unique hunting style of diving feet-first into water to catch slippery fish, using special reversible outer toes and spines on its feet to grip them. Found near any body of water with fish, from coasts and saltmarshes to lakes and rivers. It is one of the few fairly “universal” raptor and widespread, present on all continents except Antarctica.

They are predominantly migratory, moving from northern breeding grounds to warmer southern areas like Central/South America or Africa, Asia although some populations are resident with documented breedong and seen year round.

It is a fairly common visitor to West Malaysia, found mostly in coastal areas, and larger water bodies, lakes, reservoirs and dams, and larger rivers. There is probably a single osprey in the Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda IBA every season, and another one or two in the central and southern districts. It is uncommon on the Island.

https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/osprey-pandion-haliaetus

At Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda: a migrant, hunting fish over the river mouths and coast. It was recorded during the MNS Penang survey of October 2024 to March 2026. See When to see shorebirds at Teluk Air Tawar – Kuala Muda.