Mr Rutland facts for kids

Mr Rutland, also known by his special number 03(97), was a male osprey. He was born in Scotland in 1997. Every summer from 1999 to 2015, he made his home near Rutland Water in England.

Ospreys had disappeared from England by the 1840s. But thanks to the Rutland Osprey project, these amazing birds were brought back starting in 1996. Young ospreys were moved from Scotland to Rutland Water. Mr Rutland was part of the second group brought over in 1997.

He built his first nest in 2000. In 2001, Mr Rutland became the first osprey from the project to successfully raise a chick. He continued to breed every year until 2014. By 2015, he had flown more than 100,000 miles (160,000 km) during his migrations. Mr Rutland did not return in 2016, at the age of 18.

Ospreys in the UK

A Vanishing Act

Ospreys used to be common across the United Kingdom. However, their numbers dropped very quickly in the 1800s. This was due to human activities and losing their natural homes. Eventually, ospreys disappeared from England by the 1840s. They also vanished from Scotland around 1916.

Their Return

In 1954, a pair of ospreys returned to Scotland. They bred at Loch Garten. This helped the osprey population start to grow again. People's attitudes towards protecting these birds also changed. After the Rutland Water reservoir opened in 1976, Scottish ospreys and some from Sweden started using it. They would stop there during their long migrations.

The Rutland Osprey Project

In the 1990s, experts tried to get ospreys to stay at Rutland for the summer. When this didn't work, the Rutland Osprey project began. The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water helped pay for it.

The project was led by osprey expert Roy Dennis. They started moving young osprey chicks from Scotland to Rutland Water. Special artificial nests were set up on platforms for them. The first group of birds flew to Africa in the autumn of 1996. Sadly, none of them came back to Rutland. One was reported to have died in Senegal. Another osprey with a ring from 1996 was seen in Northern Ireland in 2001. But it's not certain if it was one of the Rutland birds.

Mr Rutland's Life

Arrival at Rutland Water

Mr Rutland was one of eight osprey chicks. He was part of the second group moved from Scotland to Rutland Water. This happened in July 1997. He was given the special number 03(97). Like the other birds that year, he had a white ring placed around his leg. In 1997, they also moved some chicks who were not the youngest. This change seemed to help more birds survive.

First Returns and Nesting

In 1999, Mr Rutland and another osprey, 08(97), were the first two birds from the project to return. They had completed their long migration. They stayed at Rutland Water all summer. They used the artificial nests the project had set up. Mr Rutland was last seen that year on August 27.

Both Mr Rutland and 08(97) came back again in the spring of 2000. For the first time, they also attracted female ospreys to Rutland Water. One female, who didn't have a ring, bonded with Mr Rutland in August 2000. They built a nest together, but they didn't have chicks that year.

First Reproduction

In 2001, Mr Rutland returned earlier than 08(97). He was with an unringed female. Project officials thought she was likely the same female from the year before. Mr Rutland and the female used the nest he built in 2000. They mated and produced three eggs. One of these eggs hatched. This made Mr Rutland the first osprey from the Rutland project to successfully have a chick. The chick was given the ring number 13(2001).

Breeding Years and Legacy

Mr Rutland returned to Rutland Water and bred every year after that until 2014. He produced a total of 32 young ospreys. He had chicks with three different females over the years. By May 2015, Mr Rutland had 46 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren! In 2016, at the age of 18, Mr Rutland did not return from his winter migration.