Species Spotlight- Osprey 

Photo credit: United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

The osprey is found all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica.  Its main habitat requirement is a body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean, where it can catch fish. The osprey's diet is made up almost entirely of fish, though they will occasionally eat rodents, small birds, amphibians and other animals.

The osprey has special adaptations for hunting fish. Its keen vision allows it to see fish underwater from as far as 40 meters above the water's surface.  It also has reversible outer toes and special scales on its talons that act as barbs to help the bird hold on to a fish.   An osprey can also close its nostrils to keep water out of its beak when it dives underwater.

The osprey is a monogamous bird, meaning that it mates with just one partner during the breeding season.  In some cases it continues to mate with that same partner throughout its life.  Each year an osprey lays 3 to 4 eggs. Both the males and females help build the nest, incubate the eggs, and hunt for fish.  Osprey pairs are not territorial but are rather opportunistic. They often nest close to other osprey. In addition to using broken-top trees for nesting, they will readily nest on telephone poles, cell phone towers, and human made nesting platforms near water.

Though the osprey is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, its populations began declining drastically in the 1950s.  A major reason for their decline was widespread use of the pesticide DDT.  DDT is toxic to humans and wildlife.  DDT was banned in the United States in 1972 and later banned worldwide.  DDT used to be manufactured in Portland Harbor.  To this day, DDT and its breakdown products (such as DDE) are still present in the sediments, fish, and wildlife in the area. Other contaminants found in Portland Harbor may also have impacts on the health and reproductive success of ospreys in the area.