Where Do Ospreys Go in the Winter?

[elleng]

While southern birds are often year-round residents, tracking data for one northern Osprey shows how extensive their migratory travels can be.

'Ospreys nest in spring and summer throughout much of North America. Watch for them along rivers, lakes, bays, and coastlines. Most are migratory, heading south in September. Ospreys may log more than 160,000 air miles over a lifetime. Thanks to miniature satellite transmitters, we know a lot more about their travels.

One female Osprey, which researchers named Penelope, started south — alone — in early September from Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. She paused in coastal Maryland and North Carolina for a few days, then flew directly over the Atlantic from the Outer Banks to the Bahamas. The crossing took her more than 24 hours.

But she wasn’t done yet. For the next several days, Penelope hopped islands in the Bahamas and paused in the nearby Dominican Republic. Then she set out on another day-long flight, taking her to the Island of Birds, off the Venezuelan coast. At this point she had already covered nearly 3,000 miles. After a side trip to the Amazon, Penelope spent the winter on a remote jungle river in Suriname. Watch for Ospreys next spring, nesting near you.'

http://www.audubon.org/news/where-do-ospreys-go-winter

Many of my osprey-watching friends are concerned about the effect of the hurricanes on this year's osprey migration.

[Hoyt]

1. Very cool. I wonder if someday we'll know what they are thinking, say when they stop in NC?

Hope they are OK after the Hurricane.

[elleng]

2. Yes, I too wonder what they are thinking!

Next spring, they return to their 'northern' homes. There is a nest on my southern MD property. They've returned home there/here around St. Pat's Day in the past, so I will be watching for them. (Their kids will stay in south America for a year or two before returning 'home' to the territory of their births.)

[Hoyt]

3. I've seen photos you've taken of your place, very nice. I wonder if there

are ever rebellious Ospreys who say, "Heck, I'm just flying to NC and see if I can shelter there for the winter, rather than flying so far South." Anyway, I hope to be able to spend more time on such things in the near future.

[elleng]

4. I wonder too! Many are 'tagged,'

and followed electronically.

Glad you've seen my photos, and I hope you've seen 'my' osprey. They appear to have gone south already, so I'm going north (for a quick visit to family in New England.) I'll be back, of course, and in the spring, will wait and wait and wait!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. Thanks for that link!

Hi, elleng - enjoyed reading that article and listening to the audio. Ospreys don't live in my area of KY, but I remember seeing them during my working travel days in coastal SC, along with eagle nests and hummers by the hundreds.

I miss seeing those regal birds, but now have to be happy with our own wonderful variety, especially spotting odd ones migrating through our area. It's like having special out of state family visit our home!

[Nitram]

6. Thanks for the very interesting info. Majestic birds.