Two ospreys who recently returned to their nest in Gwynedd have produced their first egg.
It is the fifth year running that the ospreys have flown in from Africa to raise chicks in the Glaslyn Valley near Porthmadog.
So what is an Osprey?
Ospreys or in Latin - Pandion haliaetus
Female 60-66 cm
Male 50-55 cm 183 cm
(58-72 in) wingspan.
Colour: Body, dark brown above and white below.
Head, white except for a brown stripe from the eye to the back of the head.
The tail has medium-sized, alternating, dark brown and white bands.
The female Osprey had a larger band of mottling across chest. Other things to look for: Barring on underwings and tail, voice plaintive whistles. Eyes are Yellow in colour, feet appear oversized.
Unlike other raptors, the Osprey has four equal toes. The outer one is reversible, enabling the bird to seize its prey with two toes pointing forwards and two pointing backwards.
So where do they live, and why??
The Osprey are truly a global bird inhabiting all continents except Antarctica. Their diet consists solely of fish,
Osprey’s have a wide distribution because they are able to live anywhere where there are safe nest sites and shallow water with abundant fish.
Nests are generally found within 3 to 5 km of a water body.
The frequency with which each of these habitat types is used varies by geographic region.
Because the osprey’s habitat is always closely associated with bodies of water; nests are most commonly in dead or open-topped trees,
When an Osprey sees a fish from the air, it can hover at a height of between 10 to 30m When the fish is in a suitable positionin a dramatic performance, the bird, dives with its wings half closed and claws stretched forward, and disappears under the surface in a great spray of water, usually reappearing a few seconds later with a fish firmly clutched in its claws.
Because the Osprey’s plumage is fine and dense, especially on its feet, it bird does not get very wet.
The Osprey carries its catch headfirst in flight, using both feet to hold all but the smallest fishes. Ospreys can’t swim and have been known to drown, especially if they get their talons stuck in too large a fish and can’t take off.
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