Opsrey and Osprey Camera Frequently Asked Questions
This page will answer the most common questions about the Yadkin ospreys and the Yadkin osprey camera.
ABOUT OSPREY'S
The Osprey, sometimes known as the sea hawk, fish eagle or fish hawk, is a fish-eating bird of prey. They are diurnal, which means they are active during the day and sleep at night.
- Average life span in the wild is 30 years
- Body Size: 21 to 23 inches in length
- Wingspan: 5 to 6 ft
- Weight: 3.1 to 4.4 lbs
- Fish make up 99 percent of their diet
- Female ospreys are slightly larger than males and exhibit a more prominent “necklace” of dark feathers on their chest.
Q: When can we expect to see the ospreys nesting?
A: Ospreys typically start to work on their nests in March, with full occupation by April. Eggs are usually laid within three to four weeks, and take 38-42 days to hatch. Our osprey chicks hatched late April. They lay eggs (typically three), which both parents help to incubate. Osprey eggs don't hatch all at once, but are staggered in time so that some siblings are older and more dominant. When food is scarce these stronger birds may take it all and leave their siblings to starve.
Q: How long before the chicks leave the nest?
A: Osprey chicks grow up fast. They begin to fly about seven weeks after hatching. Their feathers will come in during June and July, and by late July they’ll be flapping their wings in preparation for flight. Once they can fly, they’ll learn to fish. By mid-August, they’ll usually have started to migrate south.
Q: How do Ospreys hunt?
A: Ospreys hunt by diving to the water's surface from some 30 to 100 feet up. They have gripping pads on their feet to help them pluck fish from the water with their curved claws and carry them back to the nest.
Q: Where is this nest located? How big is it?
A: The ospreys are nesting high above the Yadkin river on top of the 1917 Narrows dam, in North Carolina, USA. The nest box is around 42” square.
Q: How did the birds get their names?
A: The name Oliveea was chosen for our female Osprey because the name is a symbol of fruitfulness, beauty and dignity. The spelling of her name is also somewhat unique which is why we thought it suited her! How did we come up with naming the male Oscar? Well, we thought it just sounded good with Oliveea!
Q: How can you tell the birds apart?
A: It is really hard to tell which one is the female and which one is the male. Wikipedia describes the Male Osprey as having a slimmer body and narrower wings than the female. The breast band of the male is also weaker than that of the female, or is non-existent, and the underwing coverts of the male are more uniformly pale. Even with that description it is not easy to distinguish Oliveea (female) from Oscar (male) unless they are in the nest side by side and it can still be a guessing game!
Q: Are there any bald eagles at the Yadkin Project?
A: In 2001, Alcoa began conducting annual bald eagle nesting surveys to document the use of the Yadkin Project by bald eagles. Since 2001, a total of 19 bald eagle nests have been documented at the Yadkin Project reservoirs and a total of 49 chicks have been produced by these nesting eagles.
Q: What about other species?
A: Over the past 11 years of conducting surveys at the Yadkin Project, Alcoa has found increasing numbers of nesting bald eagles, Great Blue Heron, and Great Egrets. Reservoir shoreline management protections in place at the Project and preservation of large tracts of undeveloped shoreline currently owned by Alcoa contribute significantly to the nesting success of bald eagles, Great Blue Herons, and Great Egrets at the Project.
Q: Can you move the camera so we can get a different view?
A: The camera can't be moved at this time, as this would disturb the ospreys, and they may abandon the nest. This is the first year we installed a camera, and in 2013, we will try to move the camera a bit higher so we can see into the nest better. We will need to do this when the baby birds have fledged.
Q: Why isn't the sound turned on so that we can hear the birds?
A: The nest is in an area where Alcoa frequently has people working. A microphone could potentially pick up conversations between these persons that could contain sensitive information that could be used to compromise our control systems or that could be used to breach other security measures. Given that this is an industrial work environment there is also the issue that there could be language used that might be inappropriate for “broadcast”.
