General News
15 June, 2026
Webcam keeps close eye on ospreys
JAMES Cook University’s Daintree canopy crane is home to a growing family of nesting ospreys, with live-streamed video capturing the feathered fish-loving couple’s journey to parenthood.
From their prestige high-rise location overlooking the World Heritage Wet Tropics rainforest and turquoise waters of the Coral Sea, the family of ospreys are currently up to egg number two, taking turns to nurture their fragile cargo while perched out on the tip of JCU’s massive crane.
The 47m-high canopy crane is the centrepiece of JCU’s Daintree Rainforest Observatory (DRO).
“Ospreys like to nest in really high exposed locations – tall trees or rock outcrops, even on man-made structures,” said DRO Observatory manager Johan Larson.
“Over 15 years ago, they realised that the canopy crane is a great structure to nest on.”
Mr Larson observed that the ospreys tended to nest in the earlier part of the year, and then towards the end of the year after the chicks have fledged, they stop maintaining the nest.
“The adults still hang around the crane, we see them year around, but they don't use the nest then,” he said.
“There’s usually between two to three eggs every year. They lay one egg and then there's a day or two before the next egg.
“It takes about five weeks before the eggs hatch and another seven or so weeks before they’ll actually fledge.”
The canopy crane live feed offers the public 24-hour bird-watching. Visit: www.bit.ly/4odWCkK
