The Osprey is a fish eating raptor
found on every continent except the Antarctic. The
subspecies (carolinensis) found on Block
Island has an extensive range. It breeds throughout
Canada, Alaska, northern United States and the east
coast of the United States; and winters along the
Gulf coast, Central America, northern and central
South America. Within this range, Osprey can be
found wherever there are fish: coastal waters, rivers,
or inland lakes.
Male and female Ospreys are very similar in appearance.
Both are dark brown above and white below. Females
tend to be slightly larger and retain a more spotted
breast band than the males.
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Ospreys:
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have a broad
eye stripe (even when very young) that
looks like a mask and a short crest
coming off the back of their head. |
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have hooked bills for tearing flesh. |
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have spines or spicules on the pads
of their feet to prevent fish from slipping
out of their grasp. |
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have an outer toe that can face forward
(when perching) or backward for better
grasping. |
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have a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet. |
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can live up to 20 years. |
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To capture food, Ospreys will fly 30 to 100 feet
above the water using their powerful eyesight to
scan for fish. Once a fish is sighted, the Osprey
hovers and then dives to snatch the fish out of
the water with its feet; often immersing itself
momentarily. When returning to a nest (perhaps miles
away) or a perch, the Osprey will reorient the fish
in its talons to face forward thus causing less
drag through the air.
Ospreys in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island - as is true throughout its range
- Ospreys were once more abundant. They suffered
minor declines in numbers in the late 1800s and
early 1900s due to shootings and egg collectors.
Then between the 1950s and 1970s their population
declined dramatically because of the use of DDT.
Now that DDT is banned in much but not all of its
range (and with the use of man-made nesting platforms
in the wake of habitat losses because of development),
Ospreys are making a comeback. Although not listed
as an endangered species, the Rhode Island Natural
Heritage Program lists the Osprey as a "Species
of Special Concern".
Prior
to 1960, there were 100 nesting pairs of Osprey
reported around Narragansett Bay.
In
1967, there were 4 pairs found in the same area.
In
2000, there were 55 reported nesting pairs of Osprey
in coastal RI.
Ospreys on Block Island
Ospreys are often seen during spring and fall migration
times, but have not been known historically to nest
on Block Island. Here is a timeline of our current
residents:
| Summer 2004: |
Many observers noted the presence of an
Osprey and an apparently unused/unoccupied
nest of sticks located in the back of Trims
Pond. |
| April 2005: |
A pair of Osprey observed building a large
stick nest in the same dead pine observed
in 2004. |
| May 2005: |
The Osprey pair shifted location to a man-made
pole-mounted platform off of Beach Avenue
- a very short distance from the first nest.
(see photo) |
| Late May 2005: |
Block Island had its first pair of nesting
Osprey. |
| July 3, 2005: |
Observers had their first look at BI's first
Osprey chick. (see photo) |
| July 21, 2005: |
The single Osprey chick was banded. Although
the normal clutch size is 3, there was no
evidence of their having been more than one
egg laid. (see photo) |
| August 22-26, 2005: |
Look around for the Osprey chick to start
flying and practice feeding on its own. |
Since Ospreys mate for life and reuse the same nest
year after year, it is likely that these birds will
return in 2006. Watch for special Ocean View Foundation
sponsored nest viewing opportunities.
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To learn more about Ospreys and building nesting
platforms, go to:
In addition to the
above sites the following references were
used in preparing this page:
- A.C. Bent's Life
Histories of North American Birds of
Prey: Part 1 (1961)
- Frank Chapman's Birds
of Eastern North America (1895)
- Edward Howe Forbush's
Birds of Massachusetts and Other
New England States (1927)
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