In the case of rejection of a mate, the female tips the opposite way, causing the male to fall off. Osprey are primarily monogomous and generally return to the same mate year after year. There have been some cases of polygynous relationships, with the male having more than one mate. Polygyny is only found in environments in which male mortality is high. Ospreys not only use vocal signals when mating but also as a defense mechanism. indicating danger.
Males typically are the ones to find the nesting site.
They look for sites near food, three to five kilometers from a body of water. A good nesting site also is surrounded by an open area, because most birds have a hard time maneuvering their wings in confined areas. Thus, most ospreys are found in isolated trees that have a flat top. In many instances an osprey will make man made structures its home. These structures include power poles, radio and light towers because they are easily accessible.