U.S. Fish and Wildlife recently has rescued ospreys twice near the McNary National Wildlife Refuge, a large refuge of backwater sloughs, uplands and irrigated farmlands in Eastern Washington.
The menace? Baling twine.
About 10 percent of osprey die annually from entanglement, including in scavenged baling twine and fishing line, according to University of Montana research, said Richard Bare, a federal game warden. In both recent cases near the McNary refuge, ospreys had cushioned their nests of twigs and branches with the colored twine used to bale hay. But later it had tangled around their feet above their talons, tethering them as they tried to fly away. Read the full story at tri-cityherald.com.