Osprey Bavaria Hunting - Video
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Female Hunting at Sunrise
March brings the first signs of spring and marks the return of migratory birds that leave their winter quarters in southern countries and return to Germany. The osprey is one of these birds, and like the white-tailed eagle, this species is no longer found throughout Germany. I suspect that most people don't even know that this bird is native to Germany. At least, that was the case for me before I started wildlife photography.
The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is one of our favorites, for both my wife and me, in the wild. The hunting style of this bird is simply spectacular. Since they have up to 100% fish in their diet, they are tied to bodies of water, and if you're lucky, you can observe them hunting there.
At the end of March, I was fortunate enough to film an osprey during its food hunt. I recorded the footage at 120 fps, allowing me to create a slow-motion video.
For me, it's always fascinating to watch the hunting process, which normally only takes a few seconds, in slow motion. I've watched the video several times and always discover a new detail.
I hope you enjoy it just as much.
Leave a comment if you have also observed an osprey!
Osprey Hunting - HD Video in Slow Motion
Info about the Osprey in the Video:
The osprey in this video is a female, ringed in Spain, and was probably passing through when I had the chance to film her that day.
How did I get this information?
Through the ring (yellow here) that you can see on the bird's leg.
If you spot animals with markings that you can read, you have the opportunity to report this to NABU. This helps track the animals, which aids NABU in compiling statistics about populations, and you also get information about the animal, such as age, origin, etc.
More information can be found here:
https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/voegel/helfen/01971.html
If you see animals in the wild next time with a ring with a letter/number combination, these are not escaped animals from a wildlife park or zoo. They are animals that have been ringed by a conservation organization to gather information about the population.