For some reason in Osprey BNA account the only bird listed as one that is stealing food (fish) from Ospreys is the Bald Eagle. But there is one published paper describing a case of American White Pelicans mobbing and stealing fish from Osprey that is not cited in that account’s bibliography. This happened under little different circumstances that I was able to document but still my observation is nothing new. Earlier case describe one kleptoparasitism attempt directed toward an Osprey who was successful in an aerial dive and flew with a large fish in its talons toward a customary perch. Two pelicans pursued the Osprey and tried several times to grasp the fish with their mandibles. The Osprey eventually dropped the fish while over the water, and one of the pelicans landed and swallowed it.

A few cases observed by me involved two species of pelicans: American White and Brown, They were attacking Osprey when he was still in the water with fish in his talons right after a successful strike. But lets see a few selected photos first, before I will write more about the circumstances.

Example 1 - three AWPEs got to the scene fast enough to threat the Osprey when he was in water holding the fish. Osprey immediately released the fish from its talons when still in water and haul his little butt as fast as he could away from the big wide open gape coming right at him from behind. The most far away pelican in photo dived after the fish.

Example 2 - Three AWPEs and one Brown Pelican reached surfacing Osprey fast enough. .Same Osprey reaction - drop the fish and go. He has only one butt and there is plenty of fishes in the water so why to even waste time on thinking. Being ahead of others Brown Pelican went after the fish.

Now lets analyze Pelicans-Osprey interactions. I found some notes and photos on the web showing unsuccessful pelicans attacking Osprey taking off with fish. So what is a difference between these unsuccessful attacks and these successful ones that I just presented. During countless days I spent with Ospreys I also saw then taking fish near foraging pelicans, and` pelicans will try to go after almost any bird who is holding something they can swallow as food. In Osprey case what makes the difference in decision to drop the fish or not is the size and strength of caught fish. To take out of the water a very large fish or even medium one but strong and fighting, Osprey needs to have some uninterrupted time; to improve the grip on the fish body and to take off with the prey, for the later he might need a few tries if fish is very large and/or strong. With pelicans closing on its tail Osprey has no time to do that. Pelicans can be quite violent when trying to still food. https://pbase.com/mbb/image/131745835 https://pbase.com/mbb/image/148467677

BTW in aerial chases I have seen Ospreys with smaller fishes outmaneuver Crested Caracaras, another great thief, without much effort. https://pbase.com/mbb/image/131998925 So once in mid-air Osprey have advantage on many robbers.

Perhaps there is also a good time to point out the nonsense of a folktale about Ospreys locking its talons on the large fish and drowning because the talons stay locked. I documented and wrote about it before but here you can see how fast the Osprey can open its talons and release the fish during an unsafe event.

BTW I started with the Bald Eagle, Osprey’s big enemy, and will end with another note about that bird. Here is what Ben Franklin, wrote in a letter to his daughter 20 June 1782: "For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones