Page 19 - Southern Exposure - August '20

Southern Exposure, Page 19

northern noteS

Outstanding Ospreys

By Katie Roundtree, Finance Director, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

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

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