In praise of ospreys

The osprey represents one of Scotland's most spectacular success stories, having re-established itself there without human intervention. Graham Holliday reports

The osprey is one of Scotland's most remarkable conservation success stories. Persecuted to extinction during the Victorian era, the bird disappeared in 1916 when the last known pair bred on an island in Loch Fyne.

The bird, which is Britain's only bird of prey to feed exclusively on fish, didn't return to breed until 1954. What makes the osprey story so remarkable is that they were not reintroduced like the white tailed sea eagle, red kite or corncrake.

Due to their migratory habit, a pair returned of their own accord from West Africa more than 3,000 miles away to grab a precarious claw-hold in Strathspey at Loch Garten.

In the four years that followed the breeding success of 1954, the pair failed to breed or the eggs were robbed from the nest even despite the 1958 ‘operation osprey' which watched the nest 24 hours a day.

In co-operation with the Countess of Seafield, the area around Loch Garten was declared a protected bird sanctuary the following year. The site was then opened to the public to view the ospreys after the eggs successfully hatched in 1959.

The site has been one of RSPB Scotland's most popular attractions ever since. Recovery of the species has been gradual owing to the fact that ospreys generally breed in the areas where they themselves fledged. There are now thought to be around 160 breeding pairs in the United Kingdom, most of which breed in Scotland.

Ospreys have extremely keen eyesight and can spot fish from as high as 70 metres above the water's...

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• By : Graham Holiday
• In : Wildlife
• Issue : 16
• Page : 22
• Words : 992