Birds of prey nesting sites

When roaming in nature, people often encounter birds of prey and even find their nests. For example, the Foundation receives reports of osprey and white-tailed eagle nests every year. The birds of prey monitoring service  petolintuseuranta@luomus.fi maintained by the Finnish Museum of Natural History answers to the reports and cooperates with bird ringers. 

The reported nesting trees of large birds of prey, such as ospreys, white-tailed eagles and golden eagles, will be checked by a local birds of prey expert. The nature services of Metsähallitus are responsible for monitoring bird species such as gyrfalcons, peregrine falcons, and the golden eagles and white-tailed eagles of Lapland.

Osprey nests have been registered with Luomus since 1971 and the authorised bird ringers monitor the status of nesting trees suitable for nesting. The nesting trees are also marked with a protection sign. An osprey nest is protected even without a protection sign, but the sign is a great help in recognising and conserving the nesting tree, if the nest has fallen out of the tree. 

The protection sign indicates that the nest is being monitored, but the sign might not necessarily be visible from all directions. There also might not be a sign even though the nest is known. However, it is not advisable to go closer to an inhabited nesting tree just to see the sign, because this might disturb the nesting. The best thing to do is to report the osprey nest to the birds of prey monitoring. Tell the exact location of the nesting tree so that the osprey ringer can be directed there. Also mention the date you found the nest, your observations on the nest, and your contact information. 

Sääksisäätiö - Finnish Osprey Foundation

PL 71, 13211 Hämeenlinna, Finland
 +358 500 306904
 mahyv@outlook.com
www.saaksisaatio.fi

Sääksikeskus - Osprey Center

Pohtiolammentie 64, 32670 Kangasala, Finland
 +358 40 528 3030
 jouko.alhainen@pp.inet.fi