piscivorous

Piscivorous is a biological term used to describe animals whose primary or exclusive diet consists of fish. The word comes from Latin piscis, fish, and vorare, to devour. In ecological contexts, species described as piscivorous rely on fish as a major food source, though many are opportunistic and may eat other prey when available.

Piscivory occurs in a wide range of habitats, including rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and open oceans. Predators may hunt in surface waters, submerge to catch prey, or exploit schools of fish. The reliance on fish can shape a species’ behavior, range, and activity patterns, and piscivorous communities can influence fish population dynamics and energy flow within ecosystems.

Adaptations for piscivory are diverse. Birds such as kingfishers, ospreys, herons, cormorants, and pelicans often possess sharp beaks or specialized implements for catching and handling slippery prey, along with keen eyesight or specialized grasping techniques. Ospreys have reversible outer toes and spiny footpads to grip fish, while pelicans use large bills and throat pouches to haul in water and prey. Mammals like seals and dolphins use powerful jaws and teeth, with some species employing echolocation or acute underwater vision to locate fish. Some snakes and fish also specialize in catching fish, using ambush tactics or suction feeding.

Examples of piscivorous taxa include many birds (osprey, kingfisher), marine mammals (dolphins, seals), large fish (pike, muskellunge), and certain reptiles (water snakes). Piscivory is a common ecological strategy that helps connect aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial ones through the transfer of energy via fish-based food webs.