What are PARTNERS for?

MANY thanks to the Jurgensen Companies, the Oeder Family and for additional funding support by Stuart Weinberg, the Full Circle Foundation and these River Outfitters- Loveland Canoe and Kayak , Scenic River Canoe Excursions , RiversEdge Outfitters , Morgans Riverside Campground & Cabins , Morgan's Canoe and Outdoor Adventures, Hope and Larry Bone, Diane and Brad Knapp, and to the ODNR Division of Wildlife for their excellent guidance, and to PixCams and Haddix Tree Service of Loveland, Ohio ( www.treeserviceloveland.com ) for their tremendous pro bono work in installing the cameras !

OSPREY FACTS - Provided by Ohio Department of Wildlife

Because it is a fish eater, the osprey is usually seen near water.

It is colored dark brown above and white below, with a dark patch near a distinctive bend midway on its wings. It also has a distinctive dark patch behind the eyes.

The osprey stands about 25 inches tall with a wingspan of 63 inches, and typically weighs only about 3 pounds.

A pair of birds builds a large nest near a water body, often using the same nest year after year.

Ospreys also use artificial nesting platforms.

Interestingly, the female is fed by the male from the time the pair forms a bond until after she lays her eggs.

An osprey hunts by hovering 30 to 100 feet above the water. When a fish is spotted, it folds in its wings and plunges feet-first in order to grasp the target with strong talons.

The soles of an osprey’s feet are unique, with spiny projections that give the talons extra grip on slippery prey.

The birds travel as far as South America to overwinter.

HABITAT: Individuals are regularly sighted in Ohio while flying over open bodies of water searching for fish, the primary food.

FOOD SOURCE: The osprey is the only hawk on the continent that eats almost exclusively live fish. On rare occasions, birds have been observed feeding on fish carcasses or on birds, snakes, small mammals, and even salamanders.

Source: Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife