The osprey is one of the world's most widely distributed birds. It is often called a "fish hawk" because of its feeding preferences. They are found along seacoasts and major waterways on every continent except Antarctica. They prey almost exclusively on fish. Ospreys start breeding at three years of age, or older. Until that age, immature birds stay on their southern wintering grounds of Central America and South America. Ospreys breed singly or in colonies. Their stick nests are large and usually built near water. A breeding pair adds sticks to the nest every year it is occupied and throughout the breeding season. They usually nest in large trees, but they may be found nesting on channel markers, telephone poles, billboards, cell towers, chimneys and manmade platforms built specifically for their use. In fact, in 2001, 80 percent of osprey nests were found on manmade structures, often near large bodies of water. Usually three eggs are laid and will hatch in about 40 days. Both sexes incubate eggs, although females tend to spend more time incubating than males. Females brood young through three weeks of age. Young begin to fly about seven weeks after hatching.
