WildView™

August 27, 2019

Osprey Family Matters

- as seen by -

Katherine Gomero

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For months, I worked on the filming of wild osprey (Pandion haliaetus) with the CosmoVision documentary team for a feature on these birds of prey. I watched the birds ascend higher and higher in their aerial playground during windy days then bullet down from the heavens when hunting for fish. I’ve had a longtime interest in the ocean and studying birds was new to me. It was when I saw the ospreys’ mutual partnership in offspring rearing that I truly began to understand the avian world.

In this video capture, the male osprey dutifully caught a lunch of fresh fish for his family of three hatchlings and his mate. The female had been sitting for hours keeping the chicks warm. The male tore off a piece of the fish and leaned forward as if to feed his mate. As she began to reach for the fish, she suddenly paused, closed her eyes, and tucked her head back. Opening her eyes, she stood to reveal her brood underneath. With ample food available from nearby waters, the chicks were their priority. The male then leaned in to feed them.

These ospreys’ parenting behavior won me over.

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