Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Appearance
Range & Habitat
Reciprocal relationships
Ospreys normally mate for life in their fifth or sixth year, and the parents partake in rearing the young. The females protect and incubate the eggs while the males hunt for fish. A pair will often return to the same place each year to mate. The female produces three to four eggs in early April in large nests designed to conserve heat. Chicks can fly on their own within eight weeks.
The osprey represents a huge conservation success! Historically, ospreys have been prime targets for hunting, and lost their habitat due to coastal development. Furthermore, in the 1950s to 1970s a pesticide called DDT caused a major decline in their population. Since banning this pesticide and legally protecting osprey nests, these populations have continued to rise!