Diet of the Osprey Pandion haliaetus in Inland Japan

Abstract

The Osprey Pandion haliaetus has recently been found in inland areas of Japan, but its diet there is not well understood. In this study, CCD cameras were used to monitor Osprey two nests in Iwate Prefecture during the 2017 breeding season. Both pairs (one nesting near a reservoir, one by a river) consumed introduced fish species, notably Largemouth Bass and Japanese crucian carp. Similar prey are also consumed by other Osprey populations in Japan, indicating that introduced fish may be among the major food resources of Ospreys throughout Japan.