MILFORD, DE- There are two new proud osprey parents at the Dupont Nature Center in Milford.
Nature Center officials say the first chick hatched from its egg on the night of May 18, and the second chick emerged the following day. A video posted shows the two parents feeding their two new babies.
They won't stay little for long; experts say it only takes about a month for them to reach about 75% of their adult size.
During the breeding season, ospreys lay a clutch of up to four eggs, but the typical size is three eggs, according to the Dupont Nature Center. They say after the first egg is laid, the female will continue to lay eggs every other day or every two days, which can lead to eggs hatching at different times.
Eggs usually hatch around 37 days after being laid. Both male and female ospreys participate in parenting, though the female typically takes over incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks while the male spends most of his time fishing and dropping off food.
You can follow along with the chicks' progress by watching a Youtube live stream of their nest.