Males and females incubate the eggs for five to six weeks, until they hatch. Once the nestings have hatched, the young are first covered with down, and days later the down is replaced by plumage. During the first weeks of life, parents deliver food to the nestlings. Two weeks later the nestlings begin to fly. Once an osprey has learned to fly, it will leave the nest.
Ospreys reach sexual maturity between three and five years of age.
Lifespan is 13 to 18 years. Behavior There are two different breeding populations of osprey. Migratory populations of osprey breed in early to mid spring depending on when spring thaws occur. Residential osprey populations breed during the winter months, early December to Late February. Courtship feeding is used in reproduction.