Osprey chick dead after entangled with fishing line, Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast monitoring nest

A Gold Coast animal rescuer says he is ‘disappointed, but not surprised’ after a baby osprey chick was found dead in horrifying conditions along the Broadwater.

A BABY osprey chick has been found dead along the Broadwater after being caught in fishing line, just weeks after its father was spotted with the dangerous material wrapped around its talons.

Rowley Goonan from Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast saw the dead chick hanging from 1.5m of fishing line under the nest last Thursday, which sits close to Sundale Bridge in Southport.

He used a cherry picker to reach part way up the 20m pole to cut the chick away, leaving the parents and one remaining chick undisturbed.

The veteran rescuer said it was likely the one-month-old chick had come into contact with the fishing line when its parents picked up materials for their nest.

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Male osprey with its leg caught in fishing line returning with lunch. Picture: Jinhui Niu

He said the baby bird’s death was “very disappointing, but I’m hardly surprised … because discarded fishing line is such a pervasive problem.”

In the past year, more than 58km of discarded line was collected by the Gold Coast’s Tackle Bin Project, encouraging anglers throw away their line responsibly.

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The male osprey stretching its leg uncomfortably. Picture: Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast

Mr Goonan said it was the first time in three years this pair of osprey have managed to raise chicks — the last time unsuccessfully — making it a very important time for the bird family.

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He said he had originally been monitoring the nest because the male osprey had been seen sporting metres of fishing line wrapped around his right talon.

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There is only one chick left. Picture: Wild Bird Rescues Gold Coast

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The father was largely responsible for feeding the chicks and if he lost use of one talon, the family could starve, he said.

“They use both talons to hunt,” he said.

“They catch fish in about one in three hunts, if it goes any lower than that they slowly starve.

“I find 250 birds every year caught in fishing line, I’ve seen the devastating effects.”

Mr Goonan said some of the line had broken off, so it was just a 20cm trail now, but he was unable to catch it despite weeks of trying.

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“Because he seems to be coping, and because the pair were on eggs, further attempts have been abandoned in favour of close observation,” he said.

Mr Goonan has previously called for laws surrounding unattended fishing poles, which can tangle hungry birds, to be changed from six to two.

“The plight of these osprey in respect of fishing line injuries is an important reminder to

always discard unwanted tackle in a bin, preferably a dedicated Tackle Bin, of which 20 are

now installed in locations around the Gold Coast,” he said.

“People who find discarded fishing line should pick it up, then wrap it into a tight ball and tie it off tightly before binning. This will prevent it from entangling birds at the tip.”