Osprey

A bird of the eagle kind, unfit for food, Lev 11:13 . It is thought to be the sea eagle, or the black eagle of Egypt. See BIRDS.\par

Osprey. The Hebrew word occurs in, Lev 11:13 and Deu 14:12, as the name of some unclean bird. It’s probably either the osprey, (Pandion haliaetus), or the white-tailed eagle, (Haliaetus albicella).

(See OSPRAY.)

(A. V. Ospray):

By: Emil G. Hirsch, I. M. Casanowicz

Rendering in the English versions of the Hebrew "'ozniyyah" in the list of unclean birds in Lev. xi. 13 and Deut. xiv. 12. As the osprey proper (Pandion haliaetus)is not common in Palestine, "'ozniyyah" may be a generic term including several species, such as the golden, the imperial, and the short-toed eagle. The last-named is the most abundant of the eagle tribe in Palestine, and closely resembles the osprey.

In Ḥul. 62a the 'ozniyyah is described as a bird which does not sojourn in settled places. In Kelim xvii. 14 it is mentioned by the name of "'oz," and it is stated that tools were made of its wings.

Bibliography:

Tristram, Nat. Hist. p. 182;

Lewysohn, Z. T. p. 167.

Osprey. Sometimes called fish hawk or fishing eagle, the osprey is a member of the hawk family. With a six-foot wingspan, it is one of the larger birds of prey. The osprey appears on the list of "unclean birds" (Lev 11:13; Deu 14:12). Some scholars think the term refers to the black vulture. Also see Vulture.