A new bird, the Osprey, has claimed a high school football field as its territory, quite literally shifting focus from the Eagles.
This Osprey has decided to raise its chicks on a light pole at the Apple Valley High School stadium in Minnesota, which means the Eagles football team now has to adjust their plans.
Since Ospreys are protected by federal and state laws, the team is forced to reschedule their games. “We have an Osprey nest in our stadium, so we need to think about changing our schedule,” they noted, recognizing the unusual circumstance.
All home games will have to be played during the day because, well, using floodlights could harm the nest.
Heidi Sill from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources mentioned that if the chicks can successfully fly away, it might allow for the nest’s removal, which is expected to happen quickly. “Fortunately for Apple Valley, they should be able to remove the nest within a week since the birds are already making some of their first flights,” she explained.
The school became aware of the nest in June and monitored the chicks’ development using drones regularly. They plan to eventually move the nest to another location on school grounds and install a deterrent on the stadium light post once the chicks leave, hoping the Ospreys will make a return next year.
“So if anyone sees this happening, there’s no need to worry,” Sill added. “The birds are safe and are moving on to adulthood.”
Ospreys are notably large birds of prey, boasting wingspans that can reach up to six feet. They prefer to build their nests in high places with good visibility.
This situation might encourage other schools to explore alternative venues or timings for their events.
The Department of Natural Resources may grant permits for nest removal in critical infrastructure scenarios, like utility poles, but typically refuses requests when chicks are present.
The Osprey was taken off the Minnesota special concern list back in 2015, thanks to successful conservation efforts aimed at rebuilding their population.
