The Life of An Ospey
An osprey's life may be filled with adventure, but they always manage to find home. Every year, osprey return to their previous nesting area to have another baby. Once the bird is born, the parents take turns hunting and caring for it while it grows. Ospreys have the same partner for life, migrating and returning with the same mate yearly. Once able to fly, the raptors leave their summer/ springtime home, heading south for the winter. Michigan osprey tend to migrate toward Central and South America, spending the winter months in the warmth. We await their return anxiously every time.
Watch the osprey by clicking the following:
http://www.arkive.org/osprey/pandion-haliaetus/video-00.html
Watch the osprey by clicking the following:
http://www.arkive.org/osprey/pandion-haliaetus/video-00.html
Below are a few sections to help you to better know this interesting species!
Eating Habits
Their diet consists almost exclusively of fish, and they are generally "opportunistic", meaning that they eat whatever fish that are accessible to them – either in shallow waters, (which they prefer,) or near the surface of deeper waters. Ospreys hunt for fish "on the wing", flapping and gliding 10 to 40 meters above the water. When an osprey spots a fish, it hovers briefly, then drops toward the surface of the water. Just before hitting, the osprey swings its legs forward and bends its wings back, diving feet-first into the water. The osprey uses strong, almost horizontal, or flat, wing beats to lift itself and its prey from the water. Once in the air, the osprey rearranges the fish in its feet, carrying it with one foot in front of the other so that the fish is facing forward. This position is said to make the fish more "aerodynamic",(having a shape that reduces the drag from air moving past), and easier to carry. Osprey generally eat fish beginning with the head and work toward the tail. A male who is providing food for a female and offspring during the breeding season will typically consume at least part of the fish before delivering the remainder to the female. Ospreys hunt for fish on the wing (less often from a perch), flapping and gliding 10 to 40 meters above the water. When an osprey spots a fish, it hovers briefly, then dives toward the surface of the water. Just before hitting the water, the osprey swings its legs forward and bends its wings back, plunging feet-first into the water. The osprey uses strong, almost horizontal wing beats to lift itself and its prey from the water. Once airborne, the osprey rearranges the fish in its feet, carrying it with one foot in front of the other so that the fish is facing forward. This position presumably makes the fish more aerodynamic, and easier to carry.Ospreys hunt for fish on the wing (less often from a perch), flapping and gliding 10 to 40 meters above the water. When an osprey spots a fish, it hovers briefly, then dives toward the surface of the water. Just before hitting the water, the osprey swings its legs forward and bends its wings back, plunging feet-first into the water. The osprey uses strong, almost horizontal wing beats to lift itself and its prey from the water. Once airborne, the osprey rearranges the fish in its feet, carrying it with one foot in front of the other so that the fish is facing forward. This position presumably makes the fish more aerodynamic, and easier to carry. Ospreys hunt for fish on the wing (less often from a perch), flapping and gliding 10 to 40 meters above the water. When an osprey spots a fish, it hovers briefly, then dives toward the surface of the water. Just before hitting the water, the osprey swings its legs forward and bends its wings back, plunging feet-first into the water. The osprey uses strong, almost horizontal wing beats to lift itself and its prey from the water. Once airborne, the osprey rearranges the fish in its feet, carrying it with one foot in front of the other so that the fish is facing forward. This position presumably makes the fish more aerodynamic, and easier to carry.sprey generally eat fish beginning with the head and working toward the tail. A male who is also providing food for a mate and offspring during the breeding season will typically consume at least part of the fish before delivering the remainder to the fe
Migration
An Osprey may log more than 160,000 migration miles during its 15-to-20-year lifetime. Scientists track Ospreys by strapping lightweight satellite transmitters to their backs. The devices find the osprey's location to within a few hundred yards, and last for 2-3 years. An osprey once flew 2,700 miles in 13 days—from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to French Guiana, South America. Northeastern ospreys return every spring, usually around the beginning of March. By the end July, most young ospreys can fly. The young and adults begin their southern migration near August to wintering grounds in the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Throughout September, ospreys and many other birds from the northeastern U.S. funnel through coastal Virginia near the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge.
For more information on Michigan osprey migration, visit:
http://michiganosprey.org/
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_12145_12202-60853--,00.html
For more information on Michigan osprey migration, visit:
http://michiganosprey.org/
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10370_12145_12202-60853--,00.html
Role in Environment
While ospreys provide food for some species, they are probably not the main food source for many. Because ospreys prey on fish, they generally have a small effect on local fish populations. Like most predators, ospreys are 'hosts' to many different species of parasites, including feather mites. Ospreys nests are used by many other species of birds. Smaller species, such as grackles, tree swallows, and sparrows, build nests inside osprey nests. Other larger species also take over osprey nests for their own use in the spring before the ospreys return. In North America, these big birds include great blue herons, Canadian geese, bald eagles, Great horned owls, gulls, and ravens. Ospreys, in some areas, especially northern forest areas, may have depended on beavers to create habitat for them. Beavers create osprey habitat by building dams, which create shallow ponds for fishing and dead trees for building nests. There are no known negative impacts of ospreys on humans. In the past, some fishermen have believed that ospreys competed with them for fish. However, studies have shown that ospreys take a much smaller amount of fish than the fishermen, and do not compete with fishermen for the food.
Human Interactions/ Threats
Like many birds, the Osprey suffered during the 60's and 70's due to the use of DDT and other dangerous pesticides. Research done at Maryland’s Research Refuge alerted citizens, scientists, and politicians to the fact that DDT was harming bird populations. Scientists discovered that DDT was working its way up the food chain and thinning the eggshells of birds. Fortunately, DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, and thanks to the hard work of many dedicated people, these birds of prey are beginning to rebound. Osprey are sometimes poached by hunters, or shot by angry fishermen, but the main cause of death, by humans, are from the loggers of the world. People cut down the trees osprey are or have nested in, causing the birds to search for new homes and sometimes loosing their babies.
"Facts about Osprey - Friends of the Osprey." 2009. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://www.friendsoftheosprey.org/osprey.html>
Kirschbaum, K. "ADW: Pandion haliaetus: INFORMATION." 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pandion_haliaetus/>
"Life History - Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) - Neotropical Birds." 2009. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/lifehistory?p_p_spp=119196>
"Osprey - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." 2008. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/osprey.html>
"Pandion haliaetus - BioKIDS - University of Michigan." 2007. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pandion_haliaetus/>
Kirschbaum, K. "ADW: Pandion haliaetus: INFORMATION." 2012. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Pandion_haliaetus/>
"Life History - Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) - Neotropical Birds." 2009. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/lifehistory?p_p_spp=119196>
"Osprey - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service." 2008. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/osprey.html>
"Pandion haliaetus - BioKIDS - University of Michigan." 2007. 3 Dec. 2014 <http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Pandion_haliaetus/>
Picture Reference Links:
archies.info
www.arkive.org
animals.nationalgeographic.com
www.birdsasart.com
www.birdsasart-blog.com
www.birdwatchersdigest.com
birdswesee.com
www.birdguides.com
www.brisbanekids.com.au
www.chesapeakebay.net
www.ecga.org
www.flickr.com
www.glogster.com
imgkid.com
longislandsoundstudy.net
www.libirding.com
www.nwf.org
www.panoramio.com
savetheeaglesinternational.org
savetheriver.us
travel.usnews.com
www.wildlife-photography.uk.com
en.wikipedia.org
archies.info
www.arkive.org
animals.nationalgeographic.com
www.birdsasart.com
www.birdsasart-blog.com
www.birdwatchersdigest.com
birdswesee.com
www.birdguides.com
www.brisbanekids.com.au
www.chesapeakebay.net
www.ecga.org
www.flickr.com
www.glogster.com
imgkid.com
longislandsoundstudy.net
www.libirding.com
www.nwf.org
www.panoramio.com
savetheeaglesinternational.org
savetheriver.us
travel.usnews.com
www.wildlife-photography.uk.com
en.wikipedia.org