PROJECT 12 – PROPOSED – OSPREY TRANSMITTER PROJECT

KEEP, Inc. proposes to implement a project involving the placement of transmitters on adult and/or juvenile ospreys. The purpose of the project is to determine the habitat use of ospreys while in Kentucky and provide information on migration routes and wintering areas. Outside of the Northeast, few ospreys nesting in the Eastern part of North America have been tracked, especially juvenile ospreys. Ospreys often do not return to Kentucky to nest until their third spring so winter range is especially important for future osprey populations. Osprey migration routes are also very important to identify important stopover habitats and priorities for management. Ospreys are an important indicator species which are often used to monitor the overall health of large lakes. Data obtained on osprey productivity, survival, and habitat use may provide important conclusions on the health of biological communities at Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.

DDT, a harmful chemical pesticide, was responsible for crashes in raptor populations including bald eagles and ospreys. DDT caused harmful effects to humans eating fish in the US as well. Because of these very harmful effects, DDT was banned in the US in its pure form in December 1972. DDT is still manufactured in the US for export sales to other countries where DDT is still applied in the outdoors. Could our ospreys be traveling to other countries where DDT is being used in their winter environment? Ospreys and people are global.

The GPS (global positioning system) solar-powered satellite transmitters proposed for this project are state of the art and accurate within about 30 mC. If transmitters can be funded, viewers of KEEP’s web site will be able to see where our ospreys are as they leave their nests and travel south, at their winter range and hopefully as they return to Kentucky to nest.  Website maps will be updated daily or weekly so that website viewers can see the birds’ location.  Funds for this proposed project, if and when available, will be used to purchase transmitters (as many as possible), satellite time and the required supportive computer software.

While funds are pursued, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) will secure the required federal and state permits for this exciting project.  When it comes time for transmitter attachment, qualified personnel with the necessary permits will trap osprey and attach the transmitter.  In keeping with KEEP’s tradition, an appropriate number of school students will be selected for direct project participation. All teachers, students and the public will be able to observe the weekly locations of the Kentucky ospreys during their travels as long as the transmitter batteries last and the ospreys are alive. Unfortunately, annual mortality of young ospreys is perhaps as high as 60%, so we hope that the birds we choose for transmitter attachment will be lucky survivors! Transmitters should last for 1-3 years each. One banded osprey that hatched at Lake Barkley in an osprey-nesting platform just north of the Hwy 68/80 Bridge several years ago was shot and killed in Cuba. 

GPS transmitter projects are expensive and will cost approximately $4000-$9000 each bird (depending on how long the battery lasts). It is hoped that KEEP members and supporters will actively help KEEP find interested people and other organizations that can contribute to KEEP, Inc. for this and other important projects. Perhaps your organization can obtain a grant for this project? KEEP, with the help of KDFWR, will put this project into action as soon as possible when enough funding is available for one transmitter, satellite time and the needed software. Donor(s) can name the osprey receiving each funded transmitter if desirable with KEEP/KDFWR approved names.