Osprey attacked and killed by Canada Geese?

Posted by NewMexiKen on Jul 20, 2010; 7:20pm
URL: http://bald-eagles-of-broward-county-florida.17.s1.nabble.com/Osprey-attacked-and-killed-by-Canada-Geese-tp5318117.html

My brother created a one acre, nine foot deep pond in his northern Pennsylvania back yard. He stocks it with bass. Ospreys occasionally catch some of his fish, but he enjoys watching them. This year a pair of Canada Geese nested at the pond. They often acted aggressively towards the Osprey. Although almost exclusively fish-eaters, Osprey sometimes take birds and other small animals. The other day his wife looked out and saw the geese and an apparently young Osprey battling-- at least it looked that way to her, as they were splashing about in the pond. My brother ran out and found a freshly dead Osprey floating in the water. He retrieved it with a rake. It had some blood around its bill but otherwise appeared intact.

All the goslings were still alive, but they inexplicably disappeared a day or so later. My brother thinks they walked over to a larger lake almost a mile away. It seems so improbable that the geese killed the Osprey, but it is true that geese can fight fiercely when their young are threatened.