Did you get a chance to check out the recently returned osprey on the Arboretum’s osprey cam yet?
We did — and now we have many questions, which we posed to Lori Arent, the Assistant Director of The Raptor Center at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. Arent has graciously offered to provide periodic interpretation about what we’re seeing on the cam.
We asked and she answered!
Q: Is this the same bird as last year?
A: There isn’t a good way to really tell if this is one of the same birds from last year. Osprey can check out different unoccupied sites briefly as they migrate back, especially if they have not held a nesting territory before. Once a pair sticks, it might be possible to compare plumages from last year to see if there are any similar markings.
Q: Is this a male or female?
My initial thought was male based on the super-dark plumage, lack of a well defined "necklace" (although there can be a lot of variability in this feature) and its rather petite beak. But we’ll have to get a different view to confirm these suspicions.
Q: Where is the bird’s companion?
Osprey pairs do not migrate together so they can arrive at slightly different times at a nest site. In Minnesota, osprey migrate back from their wintering grounds throughout the month of April. How quickly they return depends on how far they traveled — anywhere from 4,000-7,000 miles for the Minnesota population — and weather conditions they face on their way north. Typically, most osprey return, re-establish/establish their nesting sites, form a pair bond and lay eggs by the end of April in our area. So, a lot should be happening over the next couple of weeks!
Do you have osprey questions? Please comment below and let us know. We'll share them when we can and try to get answers as time allows. You may also send private messages to [email protected]. Be sure to bookmark the cam at arb.umn.edu/osprey-cam for daily viewing!