Bart Bear's Blog

It may look like a pile of sticks on a rock, but it is actually somebody's home. Actually, it is also a pile of sticks on a rock. This belongs to an Osprey, or Sea Eagle. Sea Eagles are the second biggest birds of prey in Australia. Big ones have wingspans of around two metres, only a little bit smaller than the Wedge-tailed Eagle. They are pretty birds with white undersides and dark grey and black topsides. They are found all around the coastline and feed mostly on fish, turtles, snakes and small animals. Normally they nest high up in trees, but the ones we saw on Rottnest Island have a problem. There are no tall trees, so they have to nest low down. Most of them choose a spot like this one on a big rock near the sea. I think it must be a bit tough on the little eagles because big waves would splash them a lot and get them really wet. My Mum wouldn't let me live in a place like this, because she has this thing about me getting even a little bit wet.

Labels: animals, Western Australia