Ospreys return to law school nest, along with naming contest

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An Osprey couple has returned to a nest on top of the University of Oregon School of Law, and three baby ospreys are on the way.

OSPREY QUICK FACTS

Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus

  • The maximum life span of osprey in the wild is estimated at 25 years.
  • About 98 percent of an osprey’s diet is comprised of fish although other prey items may be taken such as small birds.
  • Osprey exhibit strong nest site fidelity. Breeding pairs usually return to the same nest territory year after year to breed.
  • Each pair mates for life.
  • Courtship activities, breeding, egg laying and incubation occurs March through May.
  • Osprey raise one brood per year, with 1 to 4 eggs laid. Eggs hatch in about 38 days.
  • An osprey pair raising two nestlings consumes about 375 pounds of fish during the breeding season.

As in past years, the law school is holding a naming contest for the three chicks. Anyone interested in suggesting names can submit ideas through an online form.

On May 20, suggestions will be compiled into a themed survey for voting and shared on the law school’s social media channels. Voters will be able to select five favorite names, and the three with the most votes will be chosen. The winning names will be announced June 1.

The law school installed a video camera, named the Professor Emerita Margie Paris Osprey Cam, above the birds' nest to offer real-time viewing. More than 170,000 visitors have viewed the livestream since its installation.

For those interested in updates, check out the Oregon Law Facebook page. For even more osprey content, check out the Oregon Law Osprey Group, where fellow observers can connect and stay updated about the bird family.