Public Invited to Presentation on Sibling Rivalry in Osprey Nests
Nature Red in Tooth and Claw:
Sibling Rivalry in Osprey
The public is invited to join the Northern Neck Master Naturalists for a presentation on Sibling Rivalry in Osprey Nests, presented by Pam Narney. The presentation will be held at 2 p.m., May 10 in Murphy Hall at Westmoreland State Park. The park entrance fee has been waived for that day.
The Chesapeake Bay has one of the largest breeding populations of ospreys in the world. Because ospreys are at the top of the food chain and their diet is 99% fish, they are key indicators of aquatic health. The good news is that ospreys in this area are increasing. The bad news is that sibling rivalry results in violent injuries or death to some of the chicks, posing a threat to the continued population growth of ospreys.
Pam Narney’s love of ospreys was one of the inspirations for the Colonial Beach Osprey festival. Through her presentations at the first live festival and gripping blogs on the Colonial Beach Osprey Festival website last year, she has shared that love with many others, leading to increased awareness of this bird’s ecological importance, beauty, and aerial acrobatics. Pam is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist and has been observing ospreys for more than 20 years.