There are many bird species that benefit from man-made nesting structures, including several species that breed in Sheridan County. Some of these birds may have difficulty finding the necessary natural resources or structures needed to safely and successfully raise their young.
Ospreys are one of the frequent summer residents of the Brinton Museum’s Quarter Circle A ranch. Ospreys (sometimes called ospreys) are a species of raptor usually found near water and feed almost exclusively on fish. Ospreys have a flippable outer toe with barbed pads on their feet that help them grab slippery fish from the water.
Ospreys usually build large nests of branches in dead trees, open at the top so they can easily enter the nest from above. However, sometimes they have trouble finding a suitable tree with an open top in the wild. Research has shown that in areas where natural nesting structures are limited, artificial platforms can be installed and ospreys readily use them.
The Brinton Museum, in partnership with the Bighorn Audubon Society and Montana-Dakota Utilities, provided two nesting platforms for osprey at Quarter Circle A Ranch after a nearby cottonwood tree supporting the osprey’s nest collapsed during the storm.
The Bighorn Audubon Society provides artificial nesting platforms specially built for these birds. MDU supplied the poles (one 30′ high and one 35′ high), they dug holes and erected poles and platforms on the west side of Little Goose Creek.
In the summer of 2022, we had the privilege of observing two pairs of osprey successfully raising their young on two artificial nesting platforms. Ospreys are now flying south as they travel each fall to find warmer climates where they can fish. However, we will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the early spring osprey pairs to restart the breeding and nesting cycle. Nesting osprey can be observed from a safe distance on the 2.5-mile nature walk along Little Goose Creek, usually from late March to early October.
The Brinton Museum prides itself on providing a quality environment for all types of wildlife. We build nest boxes for tree swallows, wrens and wood ducks. We provide pollination gardens for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
The Brinton Museum strives to provide a special place for those who enjoy art and history, as well as those who love the great outdoors.
