[Length 15 in. Wingspan 39 in.]

This White-tailed Kite in flight was photographed at Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1988)

[Length 10 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This Merlin was photographed at TOS Sabine Woods Sanctuary, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: April 21, 2010)

[Length 10 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This Merlin in flight was photographed during fall migration at Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Ektachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1988)

[Length 10 in. Wingspan 24 in.]

This Merlin was photographed during fall migration at Higbee Beach in Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1988)

[Length 23 in. Wingspan 63 in.]

Osprey breed along coasts and lakes throughout much of Canada and Alaska, the northwestern US, the Great Lakes, and along the eastern and gulf coasts of the US. They suffered heavy losses in North America during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s due to pesticides (primarily DDT), which caused eggs with thin shells to be laid. They are recovering due to the ban of harmful pesticides and have returned to many traditional nesting sites. Osprey feed exclusively on fish, which they hunt by hovering over a pond or lake and then diving feet-first into the water to grab the fish with their strong talons. Their feet have spiny projections on the soles, an evolutionary adaptation which helps hold the fish in flight. As they fly away with their catch, they hold the fish with one leg in front of the other, which is thought to reduce the wind resistance of the fish. This Osprey was photographed as it hovered over a pond in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: January 1991)

[Length 21.5 in. Wingspan 63 in.]

This Osprey was photographed at the Nanhui Refuge, Nanhui (Shanghai), Shanghai, China. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens on a Nikon D7100 camera. (Date: May 06, 2017)

[Length 23 in. Wingspan 63 in.]

This Osprey was photographed at McFaddin NWR, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=420mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 3, 2008)

[Length 23 in. Wingspan 63 in.]

This Osprey was photographed at McFaddin NWR, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 70-200mm EDAF-S VR f2.8 lens + Nikkor TC14E II 1.4x Teleconverter (EFL=420mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: May 3, 2008)