Osprey Breeding and Nests
Osprey nests can range from a small collection of sticks in a treetop to massive, thick-walled homes like those of the eagles. Most often, ospreys return to the same nests year after year, adding to the structure over time and building substantial walls. Their predilection for returning to the same nest is a factor in what is often lifelong bonding of osprey pairs.
In some instances, ospreys nest in colonies. In Vermont, they have nested solely in pairs, though some areas in the Champlain Valley have hosted substantial numbers of ospreys in recent years, with several breeding pairs nesting on utility poles and platforms within a few miles of each other in Milton and Grand Isle.
Ospreys typically lay two to four eggs, which in most cases, hatch in about 30 days. Incubation duration varies; it can last as long as 43 days in California, closer to a month in other areas.
Three eggs are most common, laid individually one to three days apart. At Lake Arrowhead, in Milton and Georgia, Vt., where the birds have recently started to nest for the first time in decades, just one or two chicks have hatched and fledged per nest each year.
The breeding season varies depending on location; southern birds in the United States lay eggs as early as December, while northern ospreys lay their eggs from April to June. Lake Arrowhead's ospreys typically lay their eggs in April.
The eggs, off-white to pinkish or buff, are highlighted with dark brown splotches.
Both ospreys will tend to the eggs, although the female does most of the incubation. The male is the sole food supplier once the eggs are laid.
For more information on ospreys, click on the pictures below.
General Info || Legs & Foot || Eyes || Beak & Mouth
Wings || Plumage || Feeding || Young Chicks || Breeding & Nests
Terms of Use - Copyright 2007 Central Vermont Public Service
Copyright 2002-2003 photos CVPS, Gustav W. Verderber, Floyd Scholz
and Department of Fish & Wildlife
Web related issues
|
