Osprey Animal Symbolism

I often see ospreys in Winneconne, Wisconsin, so I looked up osprey animal symbolism to see what this bird can teach us.

Ospreys are a form of hawk. Like the hawk, osprey’s symbolize vision, skill, abundance and victory. Ospreys also represent peace of mind, harmony, and balance. Creatures that are black and white have a yen/yang symbolism, lights and shadows, and balance.

Osprey’s master both water and air. They fly directly into the sun, and it never throws them off course. They always seem to know their way and have keen eyesight to acquire their prey. Their precision in direction and prey-acquisition illustrate manifesting your goals in the most direct way possible.

Ospreys build huge nests in trees or platforms. Their nests are so big, they often serve as landmarks for people in their area. Osprey stand two feet tall and have a wingspan of seven feet. The osprey photo at the top of the blog was taken on country road MM in Winneconne, WI. The bird built its nest on a platform created specifically for osprey nests.

On April 10, 2023, I was standing on the back lot dock at my father-in-law’s when this osprey started toward me along the channel from Mud Creek direction. He flew right over me.

The flying photos below were taken on Mud Creek in Winneconne, Wisconsin in July of 2022.

At one time ospreys were on the verge of being an endangered species. The DDT used in agriculture made its way into the waters, which impacted the fish that the Osprey ate. The result was thin, defective egg shells which cracked when the mother sat on them. This created a reduction in the osprey population.

Now that DDT is no longer used, ospreys have come back. I’ve seen several here in the Winneconne area.

Osprey bodies are white and they have black that sweeps down each side of their head and down their back. This black and white coloring represents Yin and Yang, the feminine and masculine, and balance in all things.

Ospreys mate for life. Even though they may not live together year-round, they always find each other. While I was taking photos of the Osprey mother and her babies, the male osprey flew nearby, keeping an eye on them.

The video below is of another osprey nest near Winneconne High School in Winneconne, Wisconsin. The mother osprey is on her nest and you can hear her call or cry in the video