Page 10 - Jupiter West - August '20

Page 10, Jupiter West
Northern Notes

Outstanding Ospreys The osprey is the only hawk species in
North America that eats live fish almost
By Katie Roundtree, exclusively, with approximately 80 fish
Finance Director, species making up nearly 100 percent of its
Northern Palm Beach diet. The raptor can dive as deep as three
County Improvement feet into the water for fish, but prefers to
District hunt in shallower areas. When carrying their
Ospreys are beautiful prey back to the nest, ospreys will arrange
birds that are often mistaken the fish so that it is upright, head forward
for other kinds of hawks or to ease wind resistance. Ospreys are great
eagles. White undersides anglers—successful in one out of four dives
and a crook in its narrow for fish! Because of this appetite, these
wings, distinguish this birds can be found near ponds, rivers, lakes
bird as it soars above the and coastal waterways around the world.
water. Adults are dark brown above with brownish-black It is the only raptor that plunges or dives
marks on the wings and brown speckling on the breast. into the water feet first to catch fish with
The head is white with a dark brown crown and a brown its talons.
streak down the cheek. It is a very distinctive fish-hawk, Ospreys construct their nests at the tops
formerly classified with other hawks but now placed in of dead trees, atop power poles, on man- Source: Birdsoftheworld.org
a separate family of its own. This species is also known made nesting platforms and sometimes on
as the river hawk, fish hawk or sea hawk. It is considered buoys, chimneys, or other structures. The nests are most These birds are unique raptors, built for hunting and
a raptor, or bird of prey, since it is carnivorous. Ospreys often used year after year and can become up to 10 feet can be spotted around our waterways. Keep a lookout for
are sometimes confused with bald eagles, but can be high as more nesting material is added each breeding these beautiful birds next time you’re outside.
identified by their white underparts. Eagles and ospreys season. Ospreys usually mate for life. Sources: mnn.com, fws.gov, nationalgeographic.com
frequent similar habitats and sometimes compete for food. An osprey can live 15 to 20 years. The oldest known NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants
Eagles often force ospreys to drop fish that they have was just over 25 years old. During that long lifetime, the around your home helps lock rain water in the ground,
caught and then steal them in midair. migratory birds can travel over 160,000 miles. In fact, reducing the flow of pollutants and poisons into the
These birds are the second most widely distributed in 2008, an osprey being tracked by researchers flew drains. Using organic fertilizers and pesticides in your
raptor species, after the peregrine falcon, and can be found an amazing 2,700 miles in just 13 days, traveling from garden further protects and brings health to your yard
on every continent except Antarctica. What is even more Massachusetts to French Guiana, South America! and all the species living there.
interesting is that all of the ospreys around the world are
part of a single species, with the exception of the eastern
osprey which is native to Australia. The osprey species
is at least 11 million years old and is so well adapted to $59
fishing that it has evolved unique characteristics that set Introductory Massage
it apart from other raptor species. They have nostrils that
can be closed during dives as well as an oily waterproof
coating on their wings. An osprey’s outer toe is reversible,
which means they can carry prey (slippery fish) with two
toes in front and two toes behind.

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