The Osprey should be the official state bird of Florida (not the Mockingbird)
In 2008 fourth through eighth-graders voted to name a new Florida state bird.
Voting results went like this:
Osprey 28,229 votes
Snowy Egret 22,668 votes
The Great Egret 10,790 votes
The pelican 10,132 votes
The Black Skimmer got 7,736 votes
The Florida Legislature did not take up the Bill and so the Mockingbird remains
The Osprey is a fish-eating specialist
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Fish consists of about 99% of its diet.
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It locates its prey from the air, often hovering prior to plunging feet-first into the water to seize a fish.
When an Osprey takes a large fish to its nest, it carries the fish headfirst to make it as aerodynamic as possible.
Ospreys usually mate for life.
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Osprey numbers declined drastically in 1950-1970s, mostly from pesticide poisoning. |
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After the ban on DDT, populations increased rapidly. Still listed as endangered or threatened in some states |
check out the talons
Length: 22 inches Wingspan: 54-71 inches
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Osprey are seen all over Florida, perched on a tree or a lamp post.
I love this series of a grackle hounding an osprey
