birding-aus

Osprey (was Partners)

To: birding-aus <>
Subject: Osprey (was Partners)
From: Gary Davidson <>
Date: Sat, 17 May 2008 10:21:53 -0400 (EDT)
I found Greg's comments that Osprey 'mate for life', interesting.  I live in 
Nakusp, BC, Canada.  We have a good population of local Osprey, that migrate to 
Central and South America in the winter.  Migratory Osprey apparently do not 
mate for life.  They migrate separately and appear to have no deliberate 
contact during the non-breeding season.  In the spring, they return to their 
breeding territory.  Since they are both returning to the same breeding 
territory, they often do 'continue' their relationship, simply because they are 
once again in close proximity.  This is different to species like Canada Geese 
and Bald Eagles, that truly do mate for life and remain together all year 
round.  Would I be correct in saying that the Ospreys in Australia are 
non-migratory?  If so they certainly could remain together year round since 
they remain in the territory.  The Osprey living in Florida are apparently 
non-migratory, but I'm not sure if they exhibit this 'mate for life'
 behaviour.  I also understand that the Ospreys have recently been 'split' by 
some authorities.  If the Aus species as now distinct from the NA species, 
perhaps this might explain these behavioural differences?
  Gary


Greg & Val Clancy <> wrote:
  Hi Max,

As tourists love to hear stories like the Radjah Shelduck one guides sometimes 
embellish the facts and I doubt that there is any truth to it. It may be true 
that some species of birds 'mate for life' but once one bird dies the other one 
usually finds another mate. That is not to say that a certain amount of 'grief' 
doesn't occur. I know as a scientist that I shouldn't be talking this way but 
science's ideas about bird's intelligence and emotions are changing as time 
proceeds.
I have studied Ospreys and Black-necked (Satin) Storks and have found that both 
of these species, while apparently 'mating for life' do find new partners in 
the event of a partner's death. Divorce, although rare, also does occur.
HANZAB states re. the Radjah Shelduck "sustained monogamous; pair bonds 
probably lifelong."

Greg Clancy





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