Osprey, once endangered in Indiana, have been found nesting in 44 sites, including Patoka Lake, Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area, Tri-County FWA and Minnehaha FWA.

This didn't happen by chance. With the use of new State Wildlife Grant funds, 96 young ospreys were obtained from 2003-2006 from nests in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia. They were brought back to Indiana, and released at the four sites. As those birds matured in the following years, the nests began popping up.

From Sept. 4-12, Indiana is celebrating the 10th anniversary of SWG by recognizing DNR activities, including the osprey program, in which it's played a key role by providing federal grant funds that benefit fish and wildlife and their habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished in Indiana.

In addition to releasing osprey into the state, biologists have been working with public property managers, utility companies, conservation organizations, and interested individuals in building and erecting nesting platforms designed specifically for osprey.  Osprey readily use these platforms, but also nest on utility towers, cell phone towers, and dead trees near large bodies of water. 

The breeding distribution of this fish-eating bird is clustered in the state with concentrations near Brookville and Patoka lakes, Pigeon River FWA, and Kosciusko, St. Joseph, and LaPorte counties.

To learn more about other SWG-related projects please see www.wildlife.IN.gov and click on the eagle at the top center labeled State Wildlife Grants.

 

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