Ospreys Nest On Highway Sign Halts Minnesota Road Work

We are used to road construction projects dealing with weather delays, traffic headaches, and orange cones.

But near Wayzata, road crews are facing a very different kind of obstacle. Two Ospreys are determined to keep the highway location their forever home.

HOME SWEET HOME

The birds recently built a nest on top of a highway sign connected to the Highway 12 construction project. According to MnDOT, crews had originally removed the nest after finding no eggs or baby birds inside.

The workers were preparing to replace the sign as part of the ongoing road improvements, but the Ospreys aren't having it.

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Not long after the nest was taken down, they returned and rebuilt it in the same location.

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AND SO....WE WAIT...

Because ospreys are protected under both state and federal law, construction crews now have to wait until nesting season is over before replacing the sign.

MnDOT says the delay is not expected to seriously affect the overall construction timeline, but it’s definitely creating an unusual challenge for workers.

The situation has caught the attention of many Minnesotans because it’s another reminder that wildlife often finds ways to adapt right alongside people, even in busy construction zones.

REMEMBER APPLE VALLEY STADIUM OSPREYS?

And this isn’t the first time ospreys have interrupted plans in Minnesota. Last year, birds nesting on a light pole above a football field in Apple Valley reportedly forced changes to evening sports schedules because officials could not use the stadium lights near the nest.

MNDOT FINDING SOLUTIONS

Now MnDOT is reportedly working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to come up with a better long-term solution.

Officials hope to build a separate nesting platform nearby so the birds may choose a safer location in the future instead of returning to the highway sign again next season.

But that raises a pretty interesting question. If we build it, will they use it? They don't have to!

DO YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS?

Do you have suggestions on what might help the Osprey find a safer location for their nest?

Do you think building a nearby nesting platform is the best answer? Or do you have another creative idea that could protect both the birds and the construction schedule?

Have you ever dealt with birds or animals taking over an inconvenient place around your home, cabin, farm, or workplace?

Minnesotans are known for finding creative solutions to unusual problems, so this might be one of those moments where the public has some surprisingly smart ideas.