From Field and Study: Note on the nesting habits of the osprey in Yellowstone Park
Gignoux C. 1920. From Field and Study: Note on the nesting habits of the osprey in Yellowstone Park. The Condor. 22(6):205
On the spires of rock which stand up perpendicularly from the steep sides of the Canyon of the Yellowstone River in the Yellowstone National park are a large number of nests of the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis). All nests observed from the side of the canyon were without any shelter or protection of any kind. They were great collections of sticks resting on the rock, and apparantly a new nest was built on top of the nest of the preceding year or years. At the time of our visit to the Yellowstone, in July, 1920, a young bird was observed flopping about in one nest, and an adult bird was standing on the side of the nest with the back to the sun so as to project its shadow directly into the nest. We watched this nest for fully an hour and during all that time the adult bird's shadow was thrown into the center of the nest. The parent bird was clearly keeping the young in the shade. During all the time of the observation the sun was shining brightly and the weather was warm.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Gignoux, Claude
- Units
- YELL
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Behavior, Birds, Nests and Nesting, Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)