Osprey
( Pandion haliaetus)

Preparing for landing, an Osprey returns to occupy the same nest site from previous
years on a old power pole.

Facts: As a top predator, Ospreys are considered a good indicator of the health of their environment. Ospreys were widely hunted as a pest on game fishing and fish farms (in reality, their catch is negligible; Ospreys can only eat about 300gm at one sitting and will stop hunting once they have their fill). And, did you know that ...

# Ospreys plummet feet-first up to 40 metres toward a single fish in the water
# they snap their talons shut in 2/100 of a second
# they have a rotating outer toe that can grasp objects from the front or the back
# they catch and eat live fish only, with few exceptions
# they shake water off themselves like dogs—in midair
# they generally pair for life, but sometimes "divorce" if mating is unsuccessful
# females choose males on the basis of real estate (nest quality and location, location, location!)
# pairs that lose their eggs or young may build alternate "frustration" nests
# they have been known to use hula hoops, rag dolls and toy boats as nesting material (perhaps they pick this stuff up for the kids?)
# they will grow accustomed to repeated activities like cars driving by
# parents withhold food from fledglings to encourage them to leave the nest
# fledged young sometimes visit nearby nests where they are fed by other parents