High above UF’s Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field, a pair of lovebirds have made their nest.
A female osprey, preening her brown and white feathers, snapped her head up at the sound of approaching wings. Once she realized it was her mate approaching, she relaxed, waiting patiently as he brought her a fish to eat.
Mark Hostetler, a UF professor in the UF Wildlife Ecology and Conservation department, described the scene, captured through a live-streamed video on the department’s website. In December, Hostetler installed a $5,000 camera with help from Wally Sanchez, an employee with UF’s Network Services.
“I want to allow people to understand and engage with wildlife in urban areas,” he said.
Hostetler said the birds arrived to the nest, located on the stadium’s lightpole, on Jan. 28, eight days after the live-stream was available.
He said he wanted to start the project after visiting New Zealand and seeing a similar camera set up for Royal Albatross birds. The birds above the stadium are the only he’s seen nest on UF’s campus.
For now, the pair remain unnamed. Hostetler said the female osprey should lay eggs soon if they decide to stay in their current nest which the male built last year.
If they make UF their home, a fundraiser will be held to maintain the live-stream, which costs $250 a month, he said. If a fundraiser is held, it will incorporate naming the birds and chicks.
Hostetler said the pair are still courting, during which the male brings the female fish, their main source of food.
The project is part of an effort by the department to get students to recognize their impact on Florida’s wildlife, he said.
The camera also showcases native birds, which gives students a sense of belonging at UF and an understanding of Florida’s nature.
“Everyone has seen them around campus, but not from above,” he said.
The university can negatively affect the birds’ environment through its fertilization and irrigation systems, he said. When too much fertilizer is used along with frequent irrigation, excessive nutrients are washed into nearby bodies of water.
The extra nutrients feed algae in the water, causing them to grow quickly, which hurts the population of fish the birds feed on.
Eric Hellgren, the chair of the department, said he supported Hostetler with the camera project.
“We think it has some really nice educational value,” Hellgren said.
Although the project was costly, he said it was worth it to make more students aware of the department.
“If we can get some people involved, or interested in wildlife, we’ve done our job,” Hellgren said.
A pair of ospreys sit in their nest over UF’s Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field. A live-stream of the birds, which are unnamed, is available on the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation website.
