Osprey Project
Ospreys pass through Cornwall each spring and autumn as they migrate to their wintering grounds in west Africa.
They can sometimes be seen stopping over at our reservoirs and estuaries where they plunge into the water to catch fish, which exclusively makes up their diet.
A former breeding bird in Cornwall, the osprey disappeared across the whole of the UK in the early 20th century due to hunting, egg collecting and the loss of suitable nesting trees.
No ospreys have been recorded nesting in Cornwall since as far back as the 18th century.
In the 1950s at Loch Garten in Scotland, a pair of ospreys nested for the first time since their disappearance.
Subsequent conservation efforts have seen them become re-established across Scotland, with the population rising to about 250 pairs by 2018.
In England, it was thought that natural repopulation could take up to 100 years.
To give that a boost, the Rutland Osprey Project in the midlands, translocated 64 osprey chicks from Scotland to its site across several years.
Breeding ospreys have now been recorded in Cumbria, Northumberland, and north and west Wales.
Osprey nests are large structures constructed on the tops of tall trees, and usually made of sticks. Nests are often used inter-generationally, however due to deforestation, many of these large trees and nests have been lost.
Artificial nest platforms have been a vital part of the global recovery of the osprey, and in the UK, have been used to success in several locations.
With the help of landowners, we have already identified a number of locations and are on course to begin installations in Summer 2024.
We have also found sites where we can repurpose existing infrastructure, such as this disused deer stalking tower on a private estate near the south coast.
Now, thanks to generous contributions to our 2023 Aviva Save our Wild Isles crowd funder, we are in the process of identifying suitable locations in Cornwall.
We aim to install nesting platforms across the peninsula to attract breeding ospreys during the coming migrations.
Our work with ospreys is only just beginning. It could take several years for these incredible birds to take to our platforms. But we know that due to underreporting, the number of ospreys in Cornwall is probably higher than recorded.
And we are confident that with carefully selected and managed locations, we can help bring nesting pairs back to the region for the first time in centuries.
If you would like to help us in supporting our osprey project, you can do so by donating to our appeal or by becoming one of our personal or business memberships.