Blog 439 Navigating in an Osprey World Part 2

Canada geese claiming an Osprey nest as theirs, courtesy of Boulder Daily Camera.

Canada geese are early-season nesters in New York and breeds in areas surrounded by or close to water. In early April, they will select nest sites on islands, the

shores of cattail and bulrush marshes, planter boxes, the bases of trees, the tops of muskrat lodges, and on haystacks. Increasing Canada goose populations and their mounds of feces cause numerous environmental problems. As their numbers

A female Osprey tries to evict a goose from her nest, courtesy of WyoFile.

increase and nesting sites become harder to find, geese often take over unoccupied nests of eagles, herons, and Osprey.

On rare occasions, geese and Osprey have been able to breed in the same nest serially, but this is far from the norm. Ospreys do their best to expel the honking intruders from their nests. When a goose attempted to nest in the Salmon Creek nest in Lansing, Orpheus did his best to oust the interloper, but despite his best offense, the goose stood its ground and didn’t leave.

One would suspect that with their sharp beaks and talons, Ospreys would have the upper claw, so to speak, in a fight with the hissing grass-nibbling goose. But then again, Canada geese are much bigger than Ospreys and weigh three times as much. The goose did not budge from the Salmon Creek nest platform as it endured a half hour of direct attacks and screeching fly-bys. Eventually Orpheus left and the goose went back to peacefully incubating its eggs. The Salmon Creek nest was not Orpheus’s prime nest so no harm was done. Had this taken place at his Salt Point nest, Orpheus would have to search for a new compatible nesting site and would lose his chance to breed this season.

The increase in sunlight during spring causes a flurry of hormones to be released in birds. These hormonal changes increase the territorial and aggressive instinct to protect their interests from others. Several of the female Ospreys on Cayuga Lake that have gotten into inexplicable altercations of a territorial nature where they chase Canada geese out of the area of their nest. They also chase cormorants from the area.

The female Osprey in full attack mode and is trying to intimidate the goose. Courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.

The opponents face-off, the goose hissing as the Osprey screams, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.

Ospreys are highly territorial around their nests, but that only extends to the immediate airspace around the platform and does not extend to fishing territories. Canada geese are also highly territorial, but their territories include a larger area around their nests. Injuries are possible, but rare, when birds fight to protect their territorial borders.

One last dive at the goose before they call a truce, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.

Therefore, most aggressive behavior is really just posturing and proving their dominance without putting themselves in actual danger. It’s very dangerous for birds to actually engage in physical conflict. If they weaken themselves during fights, it could make them more vulnerable to predation. For this reason, birds only go as far as required to prove their assertiveness without putting themselves in actual danger.

All is quiet as the goose sped away and the Osprey flew home, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.

The Osprey repeatedly dove at the goose with its deadly talons ready to strike. The goose flapped its wings wildly in return making a powerful whoosh sound and hissing aggressively. Most territorial disputes in the bird world are solved with bouts of intimidation, aggressive vocalizations, and physical display as is this one. Many of these displays are ritualistic, increasing in intensity as tempers flared.

Eyes to the sky!

Candace

Candace E. Cornell 

Friends of Salt Point, Lansing, NY

Cayuga Lake Osprey Network

cec222@gmail.com

  

Guest Photographer:

Cynthia Sedlacek, musician and Director of Data Administration and Reporting at Cornell University, is a surprising artistic talent. Cynthia’s affection and admiration for raptors are evident in her exciting photographs primarily of Ospreys nesting around Cayuga Lake and the red-tailed hawks of the Cornell Campus. Her photographs of local Ospreys are incomparable as she captures their essence, their jizz, and their inner bird. From the hard-to-see nestlings to the fast-flying adults, Cindy goes beyond the pale to catch all aspects of Osprey life in the Cayuga Basin. “My camera allows me to capture their beauty in many ways that the human eye can’t see,” she says, “like their spectacular wing positions and detailed feather patterns.” Cindy and her husband Karel are also avid nest monitors for the Cayuga Lake Osprey Network and video stream footage of the campus hawks.

EYES TO THE SKY!

WATCH!

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam

READ!

 On Osprey Time: Ospreys of the Finger Lakes

VISIT!

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail Nests Driving Tour

Complete Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail

HELP PROTECT OSPREYS:

•Stay 300 feet away from nests during the breeding season. If the Osprey vocalizes, you are too close! Back off Immediately.

•Carry binoculars to view wildlife from afar.

•Help keep local waters clean, healthy, and safe.

•Recycle used fishing lines, twine, and nets, which can kill Osprey.

•Join the Cayuga Osprey Network and volunteer to help monitor Osprey nests: cec222@gmail.com.