Standing at an impressive 24”, the osprey is one of the largest birds of prey in North America. It was an easy bird to spot because of its size. It also has very striking characteristics. The top of the osprey is very dark, but the bottom is white. There forehead and crown are also white. they have very long wings, with the wingtips always angled slightly backwards. It is most easily identified because of its black streak through its eyes. We encountered it while it was perched on top of a giant pine tree, pictured below. It didn’t appear to be doing anything special, just hanging out. After admiring it for about a minute it flew away.
It’s call is quite unique. It’s not as deep as you think a bird of its size would have. it is a high pitch chirp; almost sounding like a whine. The ospreys eyes give it a unique look. The sharp yellow eyes stick out in its white and black body. Ospreys start breeding at the age of 3 or 4 years old. The eggs are white, with very bold red splotches. Not all eggs hatch at once. Some are born earlier so that some siblings are older and more dominant. Ospreys aren’t limited to living in new Hampshire. In fact, they are found in every single continent except for Antarctica. Ospreys always nest near bodies of water.
In new Hampshire, they live by lakes, ponds, the ocean, swamps, and in this case, rivers. They nest high up in trees. they frame there nests using sticks, then cover it with leaves, straw, or other soft resources. The osprey has a rather unique diet for a bird living in new Hampshire. They feed strictly on fish. It makes up 99% of its diet. Ospreys have an excellent vision that can detect animals underwater from in the air. It can sense them from over 100 feet in the air. If they are not able to catch a fish, they feast on smaller reptiles, small mammals like rabbits, and other birds.
Photo by : Noel Zia Lee at flickr.com/photos/noelzialee/451393495/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Sources: “Osprey.” Www.birdweb.org. Seattle Audubon Society. Web. 15 Oct. 2011. <birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/osprey>. Cornell.
“Osprey, Identification, all about Birds – Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Your Online Guide to Birds and Bird Watching, all about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. <allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/id> Ospreys, Osprey Pictures,
Osprey Facts – National Geographic.” Animals – Animal Pictures – Wild Animal Facts – Nat Geo Wild – National Geographic. Ed. National Geographic. National Geographic. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. <animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/osprey/>.
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