Photo by Mary Holland
.Young ospreys usually remain at or near their nest for at least 10 days after they can fly, and their parents continue to bring fish to them. When the young are roughly 3 months old, their parents encourage them to become self-sufficient. The adult osprey pictured here is doing everything in its power to entice its offspring to take off and catch their own meal. Both parents repeatedly soared over their nest and landed in distant trees while the young called out to them. After several failed attempts to lure the juvenile birds away from the nest, this parent hovered for at least 30 seconds directly above the nest before flying toward the nearest body of water. Still, the young birds didn’t budge. True independence would have to wait for at least one more day.