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Don’t Ruffle My Feathers!
Displaying ruffled feathers is a defense mechanism that enables the chick to look larger and more aggressive. If that doesn’t do the trick, they can spread the wings for the fully-fledged look. The plumage on young osprey differs from adults’ in a number of ways. Each of the dark back and wing feathers is variegated with light tips, the crest is a tawny shade versus a predominantly white cap, and the chests have more flecks of brown than the adults. Mature females tend to have a speckled collar where the male is more uniformly white.
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