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The following article was written by Jason Prigge, the Development Director at the Woodland Dunes Nature Center.
During breaks from the office, I will often stretch my legs with a brisk walk. I have noticed a pair of osprey gliding overhead. I was curious about these majestic large birds, so I talked with some staff and did a bit of research myself. Here is what I found:
The osprey, sometimes referred to as the “fish hawk,” which seems fitting, are a unique bird of prey. They are easily recognizable thanks to a white underside, dark brown upperparts, and a distinctive dark eye stripe that contrasts against its white head.
I found it fascinating that they almost exclusively feed on fish, (which constitutes around 99% of their diet). They’ve developed specialized adaptations for this lifestyle. For example, osprey have a reversible outer toe, allowing them to grasp fish with two toes in front and two behind, which seems to me to be a perfect grip for a flailing fish out of the West Twin River. They also align the fish head-first during flight to reduce drag. Pretty smart bird.
Also, they dive feet-first into the water, often fully submerging themselves, and use specialized talons and spiny foot pads to grasp slippery fish. Fascinating.
Osprey prefer nesting near water. That is why you will often see them at Woodland Dunes. You will see them on coastlines, rivers, or lakes, places where they can find an ample and steady supply of fish. Their nests, called eyries, are built high up. I have seen them in tall trees, or poles and platforms. They reuse and add to these nests year after year, making them large and prominent. Both the male and female participate in nest building, but the female primarily incubates the eggs.
During the breeding season, which starts in spring, osprey might lay two to four eggs. The young hatch after about five weeks. Once the chicks are born, both parents provide food, though the male does most of the hunting during this phase.
Osprey are also renowned for their migratory behavior. Ospreys from North America migrate to Central and South America for the winter. Some travel thousands of miles, showcasing impressive navigational skills. Young osprey often stay on their wintering grounds for an extra year, returning to breed when they are about two to three years old.
After a bit of research, I learned that conservation efforts have played a major role in the osprey’s success. The species faced declines in the mid-20th century due to pesticide use, especially DDT, which thinned eggshells. With the ban of DDT and widespread nest platform programs, the osprey population rebounded. Today, osprey are a conservation success story, serving as a symbol of the health of aquatic ecosystems worldwide.
