Most people would probably consider the bald eagle to be the most majestic bird of prey found around waterways in North America – or anywhere else for that matter. It’s hard to argue that they aren’t! But if you spend time around waterways in Georgia, you’re more likely to see an osprey. In fact, ospreys are the second-most widely distributed raptor and can be found throughout the world.
A handsome bird, ospreys are mostly brown on top and white with brown streaks on their undersides. Their heads are white, like a bald eagle – albeit not as striking without the contrast of the eagle’s deep, dark body. Ospreys have a distinctive dark mask or stripe of feathers across their eyes, which helps to block glare coming off of the water when they’re looking for a meal. Unlike most hawks, their outer toe is reversed, acting as a second thumb that helps them hold onto slippery fish.
Like bald eagles, ospreys primarily live near bodies of water, where they hunt for fish coming too close to the surface. They are migratory in some places, and may not stop to breed on their journey. Here in Georgia, they’re permanent residents and can be found year-round. They aren’t picky about nesting sites, either. They will nest on tall man-made structures like telephone poles or buildings if they’re close enough to the water. At nearby Lake Allatoona, Georgia Power partnered with the Army Corps of Engineers in 1998 to erect permanent nesting platforms, which are still in use!
Although their conservation status is Least Concern, if we want to keep these wonderful creatures around we have to keep protecting their habitats. When no suitably tall structures are available for them to nest in, they will delay mating, often for years. Osprey eggs hatch one at a time, and when food is scarce the youngest hatchlings often starve. Adults out hunting can become entangled in discarded fishing line or swallow hooks left in a fish.
Fishermen might be afraid than an osprey will steal away their catch, either on the line or before the fishermen get the chance to catch them. The former is a myth: ospreys aren’t going to pick a fight with a human on a boat. The latter is an exaggeration. They don’t congregate in numbers high enough to significantly impact local fish populations. They just contribute to the natural beauty and wonder around us, and we should take time to appreciate them whenever we’re lucky enough to spot one.
