With spring right around the corner, ospreys will soon be migrating back to Colorado from their winter homes. Thanks to the efforts of some local Girl Scouts, one lucky couple will get a ready-made osprey nest!
Loveland's Girl Scout Troop 3819 is going out of their way to welcome the ospreys back from their winter homes in South America. They've built a platform and osprey nest in a prime location for one couple. With a little help from Xcel Energy, they raised the osprey home high in the sky. https://twitter.com/CPW_NE/status/841690908324184065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Osprey nests are typically built out of large sticks, driftwood, turf and seaweed. They're built in forks in trees, rocky outcroppings, utility poles, offshore islets or, such as in this case, artificial platforms. These nests can be as wide as 2 meters and weigh up to 135 kg, and nests built on utility poles can be be fire hazards and can cause power outages.
Ospreys usually mate for life, and in the America's their breeding season lasts through the summer. Their nests are often reused for up to 70 years. A big thanks to Troop 3819 for their efforts and hard work in creating a lasting home for these beautiful birds!
To learn more about ospreys and the conservation efforts surrounding them, visit The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
