Related story: Caring for young all in day's work for Decorah eagle dad. On this day when we shower dads with mushy cards and goofy gifts, one dad on the campus of Ferris State University is getting more attention than the rest.
Not presents, mind you. Just lots of adoring fans watching as he goes about the day-to-day business of caring for his mate and three little chicks. The osprey dad stands head and shoulders β and beak and feathers β above his human counterparts. Although the osprey nest is atop a foot light pole on the Ferris parking lot, a webcam over the nest provides live-streaming video that is watched by hundreds of thousands of viewers online.
A bird of prey with a 5-foot wingspan, the male bird displays father skills, osprey-style, that serve as a fine example for dads of all species. Listen to Paul Klatt, associate biology professor, describe the ways the father osprey cares for his family:.
Watch the ospreys at. See photos and read posts about their activity on the ospreys' Facebook page. Defending the family home: The first thing the osprey pair must do when it returns from winter migration in late March or early April is fight for its nest. Although the male osprey and his mate have made the nest their home for at least four years, they have to fend off intruders that hope to take it over each spring. They fight harder for it and usually come a little earlier than the other ones.
Helping mom get ready for eggs? Before the female lays an egg, the male brings a pine cone to the nest. Mom plays with it, sits on it and moves it around.
