Encyclopedia of Life, available from " ". Nesting distribution and population status of U.S. Ospreys 1994. A comparison of osprey nesting distribution, abundance and success: Florida Bay USA from 1968 – 1984. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. Bulletin of Marine Science 44: 245-250.įlorida Natural Areas Inventory. Variations in reproductive success between subpopulations of the osprey ( Pandion haliaetus) in south Florida. South Florida Research Center Report M-679. Status of the osprey in Everglades National Park. Young osprey take their first flight around 55 days after hatching, and the adults feed young until they are approximately 100 days old (Ogden 1996).īass, Jr., O.L., and J.A. Both adults tend to the eggs and nestlings, though the female does more while the male brings food to the nest. Females lay two to four yellowish eggs that are incubated for approximately 32 days. In courtship, the male will bring food to the female to keep her from mating with another osprey (Katja Schulz, n.d.). Like other birds of prey, ospreys will reuse their nests for many years. Nests are found in large trees, utility poles, channel markers, and in urbanized areas where ospreys readily utilize man-made nesting platforms. Feeding areas include most open-water habitats along the coast and freshwater lakes and rivers. Osprey feed by flying over water and diving feet first to grasp fish with their talons The osprey’s diet primarily consists of different species of fish including catfish, mullet, spotted trout, shad, crappie, sunfish, and others. The incubation and nestling period extends into the summer months. Nesting begins from December (south Florida) to late February (north Florida).
Nests are commonly reused for many years. inner cities) once considered unsuitable. Ospreys have adapted so well to artificial nest sites that the species now nests in areas (e.g. Ospreys build large stick nests located in the tops of large living or dead trees and on manmade structures such as utility poles, channel markers, and nest platforms.
In Florida, ospreys commonly capture saltwater catfish, mullet, spotted trout, shad, crappie, and sunfish from coastal habitats and freshwater lakes and rivers for their diet. Ospreys, also known as "fish hawks," are expert anglers that like to hover above the water, locate their prey and then swoop down for the capture with talons extended. In Florida, non-migratory, resident osprey have been well-documented and extensively studied only in Florida Bay, the southern Everglades, and the Florida Keys, which are primarily or entirely within Monroe County (Bass and Kushlan 1982, Kushlan and Bass 1983, Fleming et al. However, recent satellite telemetry documented that osprey breeding in Lake Istokpoga (Highlands County approximately 27.25° latitude) routinely migrate to South America (Martell et al. Some have suggested that osprey nesting in peninsular Florida south of 29° latitude are non-migratory residents (Poole 1989, Houghton and Rymon 1997). The geographic extent of this resident subpopulation is unknown.
Most North American osprey winter in South and Central America, with the exception of the non-migratory, resident subpopulation in coastal southern Florida (Poole et al. The osprey is widely distributed in North America and highly migratory at higher latitudes. Osprey habitat includes the coast, lakes, rivers, and swamps in Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). Pesticides, shoreline development and declining water quality continue to threaten the abundance and availability of food and nest sites for ospreys. Ospreys in Florida did not suffer the serious pesticide-related population declines that occurred in other states in the 1950s and 1960s. The osprey is found year-round in Florida both as a nesting species and as a spring and fall migrant passing between more northern areas and Central and South America. Look for the distinctive dark line that extends behind the eye and the gull-like way the narrow wings are angled downward when the birds are in flight. Adults are dark brown above with a white underside and head. The osprey is smaller than the bald eagles that typically share the same habitats, but its five to six foot wingspan is impressive nonetheless. Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network.Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.Report injured, orphaned or dead manatees.Report fish kills, wildlife emergencies, sightings, etc.
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