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Ospreys
were driven to extinction in Britain through intense persecution,
particularly egg and specimen collectors.
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Ospreys
were last recorded breeding in England in 1840 in Gloucestershire
and the last UK breeding pair was destroyed in Scotland in 1916.
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Ospreys were extinct as a breeding species in the UK between 1916
and 1954, when they recolonised Scotland from a nest at Loch Garten,
now an RSPB reserve. Breeding success was low until 1959 when
intensive wardening increased the security given to the birds.
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Ospreys spend the winter in Africa. Migrant birds on their way
to and from Scotland turn up at many reservoirs, lakes and estuaries
around the UK in spring and autumn.
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Ospreys are found on all continents, except Antarctica.
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Male and female ospreys look similar, but - as with most birds
of prey - the female is bigger. Young birds are a little paler,
and more spotted above.
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Ospreys don't usually return to Britain in the year after they
hatch: they stay in Africa for two or three years. When they do
return to Europe, they often come back to the area where they
hatched, which is why they spread so slowly.
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In autumn, ospreys leave Scotland for west Africa. The females
leave first, while males stay with the young birds to show them
where and how to fish. The males leave in late August, with juveniles
following several weeks later. They find their way to Africa without
any help from their parents.
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The osprey
population in Scotland has grown slowly to 136 pairs in 1999.
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Where
are the UK's ospreys and how many are there?
The return of ospreys as breeding birds in Britain is one of the most
famous conservation success stories in the UK. There are now around
130 pairs in Scotland, having increased from a single pair which bred
at Loch Garten in 1954. Their numbers increased slowly during the 1960s
and 1970s, with local birdwatchers watching their nests and keeping
the locations a closely guarded secret. Ospreys now breed in suitable
areas across northern and central Scotland. Thanks to the protection
efforts, there are now more ospreys in Britain than for more than a
century, though they remain a rare species and must continue to be protected.
To increase
the distribution of ospreys in Britain, an experiment by Leicestershire
and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water is underway to reintroduce
birds to Rutland Water. Artificial nests and nest-platforms have been
built at other nature reserves in England in the hope of attracting
ospreys on their return migration. This technique has been used, with
great success, in North America and Scotland.
Cumbrian
Ospreys
In 2001 a pair of ospreys which nested in the Lake District became the
first wild osprey to breed in England for over 150 years. The birds
have spent the summer in this area for the past few years. The birds
were encouraged to stay with the help of a purpose built nest provided
by the Forestry Commission and the Lake District National Park Authority.
This is the culmination of several years of hard work, the RSPB joined
the partnership to provide extra support.
Ospreys have
summered in the Lake District since the mid 1990's, on their return
in 2001 they immediately added sticks to the nest. Since the eggs were
laid, wardens kept a round the clock watch to prevent disturbance and
deter egg thieves.
Ospreys usually
lay three eggs, which take about six weeks to hatch. The young stay
in the nest for six or seven weeks. In late summer, the adult female
will migrate south, leaving the male to teach the youngsters the art
of fishing.
Bassenthwaite
Lake is a National Nature Reserve, owned and managed by the LDNPA. Most
of the surrounding woodland is managed by the Forestry Commission and
provides valuable habitats for wildlife.
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Why
were ospreys lost from Britain?
Ospreys were probably widespread across Britain in the past, especially
before the huge land-drainage schemes in the 17th century which removed
much of their inland habitat. There were probably between 500 and 1,000
pairs in Britain, but shooting and egg-collecting increased during the
19th century, and the population crashed. The last English ospreys bred
in Gloucestershire in 1840 and, after the final pair nested in Argyll
in 1916, they were gone from Scotland too.
What problems do ospreys face?
Although the osprey population has doubled during the 1990s, ospreys
remain the fourth rarest bird of prey in the UK. Their eggs, usually
whole clutches, are stolen by collectors. This has slowed the increase
in population and is the single largest human factor affecting breeding
ospreys. There is no shortage of suitable habitat in Scotland, with
plenty of lochs and estuaries for them to feed and trees for nesting.
However, if water quality deteriorates, a reduction in fish could have
a dramatic effect on the number of young birds raised. As ospreys migrate,
they are vulnerable to habitat changes across southern Europe and Africa,
and risk being shot by hunters.
What is being done to help ospreys?
The increase in ospreys in Scotland is one of the UK's great bird conservation
success stories the last century. The success is thanks largely to landowners,
farmers, foresters and others who work in the countryside and who keep
a close eye on 'their' ospreys. Nests are monitored regularly by the
Osprey Study Group and additional measures, such as CCTV, are deployed
at some nests. Everyone can play a part in making sure that ospreys
are left to nest in peace.
Some ospreys nest on nature reserves, such as Abernethy Forest, where
the visitors to the reserve make an important contribution to the local
economy. In fact Boat of Garten is called The Osprey Village and the
birds have brought millions of pounds to local businesses.
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