Rexburg Ospreys Return to Rebuild After City Removes Airport Nest in Idaho
REXBURG, Idaho — A pair of ospreys nesting near the Rexburg-Madison County Airport refused to give up their home after the city removed their nest following a bird-strike complaint, drawing attention from local plane owners and wildlife observers across Eastern Idaho.
The birds had nested between two airport hangars for several years before Rexburg workers took down the structure in response to concerns about aircraft safety. Rather than abandoning the area, the ospreys immediately set to work constructing a new nest on a nearby power pole — one that held a transformer. The power company then removed that nest as well, citing the danger of birds nesting near electrical equipment.
The repeated removals prompted pushback from some at the airport. “They have been nesting there for quite a few years, and most of us really enjoy the birds,” said a plane owner who wanted the nest restored, according to reporting by EastIdahoNews.com columnist Bill Schiess. “The city took down the nest and the birds started building a new nest on the next power pole with a transformer on it. The power company came and removed that nest because it would be dangerous there. The birds and some of us were not happy, so we complained.”
The situation appears to have reached a resolution — at least temporarily. A new nesting platform was installed on the pole where the original nest had stood, giving the pair a sanctioned location to resume building.
A Day of Nest-Building Near the Rexburg Airport
Schiess documented the birds’ rebuilding efforts over the course of a three-hour observation session earlier this week. The two ospreys worked steadily, hauling dead limbs from a nearby grove of trees. One bird focused on arranging larger branches along the outer edge of the nest while the other stripped old bark from limbs and packed it into the center.
At one point, the pair struggled at length with a forked branch whose upper portion refused to lay flat. Both birds tugged at the branch, attempted to fly off with it, and ultimately worked around the problem by weaving a larger branch over the stubborn limb. The persistence was characteristic of a species known for methodical nest construction and strong mate bonding.
Throughout the session, one bird remained on the nest at all times while the other gathered materials. After roughly half an hour away, one bird — believed by Schiess to be the male — returned carrying a headless fish, consistent with behavior he has observed in ospreys over many years. Male ospreys frequently catch fish, consume the head, and deliver the remainder to the female or young chicks. The female took the fish to a separate pole to eat while the male stayed at the nest, continuing to arrange sticks and strip bark.
Seventeen Osprey Nests Documented in the Greater Rexburg Area
The episode at the airport reflects a broader osprey presence throughout the region. Schiess reported that he has located 17 osprey nests in the greater Rexburg area, underscoring how well-established the birds have become across Eastern Idaho’s developed and rural landscapes.
Ospreys are a federally protected migratory species, and their return to human-modified environments — airports, utility poles, and marina structures — is a documented national trend as populations have recovered over recent decades. The birds’ tolerance of aircraft at the Rexburg airport appeared evident during the observation: multiple planes took off and landed nearby with no apparent disturbance to the nesting pair.
Eastern Idaho’s Yellowstone Teton Territory, which spans roughly 7,500 square miles of wilderness and agricultural land, provides extensive habitat for raptors including ospreys. The Snake River corridor and surrounding waterways offer reliable fish populations that support nesting pairs throughout the region’s warmer months.
For more community stories from around Idaho Falls and the surrounding area, including new businesses serving local residents, Bonneville County News continues to follow developments across Eastern Idaho. Readers tracking economic shifts may also want to review recent coverage of the Shilo Inn closure and its impact on employees and local events.
What Comes Next
With nesting now underway on the new platform, Schiess indicated he plans to return periodically to monitor the pair’s progress. If nesting is successful, the birds could produce two to three chicks this season. Whether the platform solution satisfies both airport safety requirements and the ospreys’ own persistence remains to be seen — but for now, the birds appear committed to making Rexburg home once again.