There's no such thing as a seahawk, actually

"Wash.a city north of Seattle that claims to be the original home of the name seahawk for its high school mascotthe name arose as a nickname for the osprey because of its talons that are uniquely fit to catch fish. Ospreys go by other names, too, including river hawk and fish hawk, and they embark on these long, arduous journeys and have to survive a lot of obstacles, says Robert Domenech, executive director of the Raptor View Research Institute in Montana."

"Meanwhile the team's imagery and live animals at events seem to portray different bird species entirely. The history of the name dates back to 1975, when fans suggested the Seahawks appellation for the city's then-nameless team that would begin playing the next year. Skuas, large predatory birds from the North Atlantic, have been referred to as seahawks as well. This species is known for its broad shoulders and its habit of aggressively attacking other birdsperhaps providing some inspiration for the team's players as Sunday approaches."

The Seattle Seahawks nickname has no single, taxonomically defined bird. The name has been applied to ospreys, nicknamed river hawk or fish hawk, noted for talons specialized for catching fish and long arduous migrations. Anacortes, Wash., claims the osprey-origin name for its high school mascot. Skuas from the North Atlantic have also been called seahawks; they are large, aggressive predators with broad shoulders that harass other birds. Team imagery and live birds used at events sometimes portray different species than those implied by the nickname. Biological distinctions mean neither osprey nor skua is a literal "seahawk."

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