Creature Feature Corner The Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge Winter 2021 Newsletter
(written by Emilie Brush and Nicole Westfall, AmeriCorps Cape Cod Year 23 and 22 member)
With the changing of the seasons from winter to spring comes the return of migratory birds all across the northeast. One of the most distinct birds to mark the coming of springtime is the osprey; with their stark brown and white appearances and intense yellow eyes, these large raptors are difficult to miss.
Ospreys, also sometimes referred to as fish hawks due to their 99% fish diet, can be found in every continent across the globe apart from Antarctica. While many populations are migratory, populations of osprey living in the lower latitudes of the breeding range may live there year-round. They’re not picky about where they get their food from — ospreys can be found hunting around rivers, lakes, estuaries, and the coastlines. You can certainly find them around herring runs in the late spring due to the high concentration of fish as the herring swim towards their breeding grounds.
Mated pairs of ospreys typically will remain together for life. Each year, pairs will either return to their previous nest and add to it or build a new nest. You may see poles built with a platform for osprey nests; this is because ospreys tend to nest in areas with a high vantage point to the water, which could be on a structure like a house, a telephone pole, or dead tree. Moving an osprey nest from an undesirable location can be a dangerous and difficult task, so we build platforms specifically to encourage safer nesting.
The mid-20th century was a tumultuous time for ospreys and other fish-eating species. Before the pesticide DDT was banned in the 1970s, it would linger in the tissues of fish which caused female ospreys to lay eggs with brittle shells. This caused failure of reproductive success, pushing ospreys to the point of critical population loss. With the banning of the
pesticide came a resurgence of birds, and the future of osprey populations is no longer a concern.
It’s refreshing to see the return of these striking birds each spring. Ospreys are one of the first indicators of the coming of more life, greenery, and warm weather here on Cape Cod. Keep an eye out for juvenile ospreys as they will soon fly from their nest for the first time, learning how to hunt with mom and dad by their side.
Return to our live osprey nest cam.