Osprey talons
In common with most raptors, osprey have four long toes—three in front and one in back. As the bird reaches for a fish, its outer front toe swivels to the rear, giving it two grasping talons front and back. And those toes are lined with short, stiff spikes for extra grip.
The ospreys we see today are all one species worldwide.
They have changed little since tens of millions of years ago, when its ancestors diverged onto a unique evolutionary track.
Osprey Tales 