If you frequent the Wisconsin lakes during the summer, you’ve probably seen an osprey or two flying overhead. Ospreys are a large raptor species that are listed as state-endangered due to the impact of pesticides and the loss of suitable nest habitat. The birds enjoy nesting on open and elevated perches, and they appear to use the same nest for years.
Unfortunately, ospreys sometimes choose to nest on top of our electric poles and wires. When this happens, there are two huge risks: The birds are at risk of electrocution, and our customers are at risk of electrical outages. That’s why we’ve taken steps to make sure ospreys and other bird populations can nest safely, and our customers don’t experience power outages as a result.
Protecting Ospreys
To support and protect ospreys, we’ve installed over a dozen artificial osprey nest platforms for various organizations throughout our footprint since 2010. Our crews “seed” the artificial platforms with nesting material to lure the birds to use them. When the birds migrate in the fall, we remove the artificial osprey nests to prevent other birds from reusing the nest next season.
We recently funded and helped install two osprey platforms near Lake Kegonsa State Park, in partnership with the Friends of Lake Kegonsa. These platforms will be a welcome surprise when the ospreys return in the spring. Hopefully these platforms will increase the osprey population and allow community members to learn about the species.
Environmental stewardship is critical to protecting wildlife and helps support the vitality of the species in danger.