Xcel Energy Osprey Cam
Photo caption
Osprey Cam
Active: April - June
Allen S. King Plant, Oak Park Heights, MN
Our Osprey Cam features a nest erected in 1993 by Bob Anderson of the Raptor Resource Project at the Allen S. King Plant in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, on the St. Croix River. Since it’s installation, more than 37 young ospreys have been produced at this site. Local, Central Standard Time (CST), is used for these images, which refresh every two minutes. Photos are archived for the day in the Daily Pix section.
Daily Pix
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Latest News
The ospreys at the Allen S. King Plant were back on the nest Thursday, April 3, even though the St. Croix River was still frozen. They must have had to fly a long distance to access open water for feeding on fish.
It's too soon to see osprey at the Allen S. King Plant. We expect nesting sometime in April. A total of 37 young ospreys have been produced at this nest.
Osprey Facts
- Osprey are raptors - birds of prey. They eat a variety of fish.
- Osprey have long curved talons; their toes have sharp spines for catching and holding onto fish.
- Nicknamed the "fish hawk," the osprey catches prey by hovering to spot fish below the water's surface, swiftly diving and and then seizing the fish with its talons.
- Once it catches a fish, an osprey will adjust the fish so the head is pointing forward to reduce wind resistance as it ascends and flies nestward with its catch.
- Osprey fly at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
- At a distance, these brown and white birds can resemble a seagull. They have dark feathers on their backs and white feathers on their undersides. Their heads are white with a black eye stripe.
- Osprey range from 21-24 inches tall with a wingspan of 4.5 to 5 feet. Females are slightly larger than males.
- They can be found living around lakes, rivers and along the seacoast.
- Their nests consist of sticks and debris placed in trees, on utility poles or osprey platforms.
- The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are white, pink or buff color, and may be blotched with brown.
- Both parents incubate the eggs, with incubation lasting 36 days.
- Like many raptors, osprey drastically declined in the 1950s and 1960s because of DDT, but have made a comeback.
