Elder Osprey Chick Tries To Nibble On Fish At Hellgate Nest - June 24, 2024

Watch the elder Osprey nestling attempt to nibble on a fish after Finnegan leaves a meal in the nest. Osprey chicks aren't able to feed themselves until about 40 days of age, but this chick (now 12 days old) wants to get started early. In time, little one!
Keep watching to see Iris alight on the nest. After a while, Finnegan takes the fish to go, only to return with it minutes later.
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Watch the cam and learn about the Montana Osprey Project at
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This Osprey nest is at the mouth of the spectacular Hellgate Canyon at the edge of Missoula, Montana. It’s in a very busy location, right outside the Riverside Health Care Center and next to busy parking lots, a construction site, a busy highway, and a railroad. However, it’s also an ideal location in many ways, since these Ospreys have riverfront property only about 50 feet from the Clark Fork River. Being so close to people does not bother them, and hundreds of people enjoy watching them every day.
The female Osprey at this nest is called Iris because she has very distinctive spots on her iris, especially in her left eye. These iris patterns serve as individual barcodes and allow us to identify her. She has nested at this site for many years. Her mate of many years, Stanley, did not return in 2016, and she attempted to breed with a new male dubbed "Louis" after an influential local Salish elder named Louis Adams (for more info: missoulian.com/...)
After a single year of successful breeding with Louis in 2017, Iris went through several years of unsuccessful attempts as Louis paired up with another female a little downriver. Then, in 2024 a new male showed up (later christened "Finnegan" by viewers) who successfully paired with Iris and began a new breeding season.
Ospreys are consummate fishing birds, and this pair fishes primarily from the Clark Fork River and nearby Rattlesnake Creek. They use their 6-7 foot wingspans to soar above the water, looking for fish, then diving as deep as 3 feet for shallow-swimming prey. Adult Ospreys usually weigh 3-4 pounds, and they can carry prey up to 50 percent of their own weight. Ospreys can live up to 25 years, and they typically lay 1-4 eggs in a clutch.
The nest used to be on a power pole about 200 feet west of where it is now. This was dangerous, since the Ospreys could have been electrocuted, causing fires and power blackouts. In 2007, the current nest platform was erected to provide a safer place for the Ospreys to nest. They took to it immediately. Getting the new nest platform set up, and installing and running to high resolution camera for this feed for you to enjoy has been a large effort involving many groups: Riverside Health Care Center, Karen Wagner, Kate Davis and Raptors of the Rockies, Northwestern Energy, Dave Taylor Roofing Company, and Dr. Erick Greene of the University of Montana.
#birdcams #live #osprey #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #montana

[@taswan574]

Ah, Iris looks like she flew to the Hellgate Spa Treatment! Loved the video and thank you ❤️!

[@kathgrainger4504]

That's it just help yourself while mum isn't looking, love seeing that... 🤗

[@theck672]

It’s so nice to see two strong, active, healthy chicks❣️

[@TinkerTailor4303]

Never mind, Mom, I'll just help myself, thanks! Wow, that birdie must've been sitting on the camera!

[@ceegee777]

Finnegan was much more gentle around babies than he was the other day, when walked on chicks bonking them (and mom) with a stick 😅 I love how they carefully ball up their dagger claws around their young 🥰

[@Donna_Horses_Cats]

Will the much smaller chick make it, do you think?

[@kathgrainger4504]

I have high hopes for the smaller chick & i'm sure it will make it. Being fed & not being bullied by the older chick gives its a good chance, don't forget only so much smaller because born 5 days after older chick.

[@DonMarie-n3c]

Overachiever! At least it's getting the idea about self feeding.

[@IslomGiyosiddinov]

Hard designer 01

[@ek90030]

Chick's crisp white under eyeliner looks exactly like Finnegan! Of course, even though I know all ospreys have white under eyeliner!

[@KatharineCox-nu2ev]

Whaaaaat! He took the fish away!!

[@techshabby0001]

What's up with that? Their little crops weren't full. The smallest one looks like he needs an over abundance of tlc

[@Sythurizm]

They both had a big meal off that fish about 40 minutes earlier before he took it for a bit to have his own meal. Then he brought it back to see if anyone wanted seconds in this clip. The little one is about 5 days younger than its sibling, which is why it looks scrawny in comparison, but is getting bigger and stronger each day.

[@lorrem2539]

Has Finn fed the kids yet?

[@marioguerra3949]

Yes, he has fed them a few bites on several occasions, not for long though because Iris likes to feed them herself.

[@lorrem2539]

@@marioguerra3949 good to hear, thx.