08-06-2004, 02:19 AM
PIERRE, S.D. -- South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has again partnered with Wildlife Experiences, Inc. to reintroduce osprey along the Missouri River in southeastern South Dakota. The osprey is a fish-eating raptor, or bird of prey, that nests in the Black Hills. Osprey are summer residents in other parts of South Dakota, but no other nesting pairs are known. The osprey is a state-threatened species in South Dakota, and state law mandates that such species be restored.
Last year, nine osprey chicks from Minnesota were placed at two sites along the Missouri River in structures called hack boxes. "These boxes simulate a nest site, although no adult birds are present," said Game, Fish and Parks Endangered Species Biologist Eileen Dowd Stukel. "Hack site attendants feed the birds their natural food, fish, for a couple of weeks. The young osprey that survive to age two or three will hopefully return to nest in the area where they were released. When the birds are old enough to fly on their own, the hack-box doors are opened, although food is still supplied to supplement the young birds as they learn to fish on their own." Stukel noted that several chicks died from exposure to the West Nile Virus in 2003, but hopefully the six survivors migrated successfully to their South American wintering grounds, where they remain for about two years.
In 2004, the project was expanded, due to the tremendous contribution of Wayne Melquist, an osprey expert with the University of Idaho and other dedicated volunteers. Twenty chicks aged 6-7 weeks were flown from northwestern Idaho to the South Dakota hack sites in Clay and Yankton counties. Wildlife Experiences staff vaccinated the birds against West Nile Virus and carefully watched for any signs of illness. Both hack boxes are now open, an exciting time for both birds and people to see how the chicks have adapted to their new surroundings. Four birds are fitted with satellite transmitters as an experiment to help monitor migratory movements.
According to Melissa Horton, Executive Director of Wildlife Experiences, "We really like being able to use the Clay County Lakeside Use Area as a release site. Not only is it perfect from the birds’ point of view, but it also provides local people a chance to watch these birds learn to fly and hunt from a fairly close perspective. If you see an osprey in southeastern South Dakota before Labor Day, it may be one of the released birds. If it is wearing a colored leg band, call the Project Supervisor at (605) 209-5308 or stop by the Clay County site and visit with one of the attendants."
This project is funded by SDGFP and State Wildlife Grants, an annual federal appropriation dedicated to rare species conservation and recovery. To learn more about the osprey reintroduction project, visit Wildlife Experiences’ website: [url "http://www.wildlife-experiences.org/"][font "Arial"]http://www.wildlife-experiences.org[/font][/url][font "Arial"].[/font]
[signature]
Last year, nine osprey chicks from Minnesota were placed at two sites along the Missouri River in structures called hack boxes. "These boxes simulate a nest site, although no adult birds are present," said Game, Fish and Parks Endangered Species Biologist Eileen Dowd Stukel. "Hack site attendants feed the birds their natural food, fish, for a couple of weeks. The young osprey that survive to age two or three will hopefully return to nest in the area where they were released. When the birds are old enough to fly on their own, the hack-box doors are opened, although food is still supplied to supplement the young birds as they learn to fish on their own." Stukel noted that several chicks died from exposure to the West Nile Virus in 2003, but hopefully the six survivors migrated successfully to their South American wintering grounds, where they remain for about two years.
In 2004, the project was expanded, due to the tremendous contribution of Wayne Melquist, an osprey expert with the University of Idaho and other dedicated volunteers. Twenty chicks aged 6-7 weeks were flown from northwestern Idaho to the South Dakota hack sites in Clay and Yankton counties. Wildlife Experiences staff vaccinated the birds against West Nile Virus and carefully watched for any signs of illness. Both hack boxes are now open, an exciting time for both birds and people to see how the chicks have adapted to their new surroundings. Four birds are fitted with satellite transmitters as an experiment to help monitor migratory movements.
According to Melissa Horton, Executive Director of Wildlife Experiences, "We really like being able to use the Clay County Lakeside Use Area as a release site. Not only is it perfect from the birds’ point of view, but it also provides local people a chance to watch these birds learn to fly and hunt from a fairly close perspective. If you see an osprey in southeastern South Dakota before Labor Day, it may be one of the released birds. If it is wearing a colored leg band, call the Project Supervisor at (605) 209-5308 or stop by the Clay County site and visit with one of the attendants."
This project is funded by SDGFP and State Wildlife Grants, an annual federal appropriation dedicated to rare species conservation and recovery. To learn more about the osprey reintroduction project, visit Wildlife Experiences’ website: [url "http://www.wildlife-experiences.org/"][font "Arial"]http://www.wildlife-experiences.org[/font][/url][font "Arial"].[/font]
[signature]