Osprey Tracking

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Ospreys are long-distance migratory birds, traveling thousands of miles each year between the Chesapeake Bay and wintering grounds in South America. Tracking their movements helps us understand where they hunt, how far they travel, and the challenges they face across their lifecycle.

Operation Osprey’s tracking work builds on decades of research while focusing on one key question:

What is happening to Osprey in the Severn River watershed, and why?

Dr. Rob Bierregaard began satellite tracking Ospreys in 2000, transforming our understanding of how these birds move across the hemisphere.

By following Ospreys from nesting areas in places like Martha’s Vineyard and the Chesapeake Bay to wintering grounds in South America, his work revealed the full scale of their migrations and how they use different environments throughout the year.

Tracking of local birds like Woody and Holly from Whitehall Bay highlighted this variation, ranging from roughly 3,000-mile journeys to Venezuela to more than 5,500 miles into Brazil.

This work laid the groundwork for the tracking studies Operation Osprey is building on today.

Discover More on Rob Bierregaard's Website

 Recent data shows declining nesting success in parts of the Chesapeake Bay.

During the 2025 season, Operation Osprey monitored 70 active nests across the Severn River watershed, with fewer than one-third successfully raising young. Nest camera observations suggest food availability may be a key factor, as fish deliveries declined later in the season.

Understanding where Osprey are fishing, and how far they must travel to find food, is critical to understanding these trends.

 In April 2026, Operation Osprey will launch a new GPS tracking study focused on the Severn River watershed.

Our team will safely capture and tag 10 adult Osprey with lightweight GPS transmitters, allowing us to track their movements throughout the breeding season, migration, and wintering period. This data will help map foraging areas, measure hunting distances, and identify migration routes and wintering locations.

The study is led by master bird bander Greg Kearns and conducted in collaboration with local Osprey Stewards. All capture and handling methods follow strict federal guidelines to ensure the safety of the birds.

 Osprey are a key indicator of environmental health in the Chesapeake Bay.

By combining GPS tracking with nest monitoring, fish availability, and water quality data, Operation Osprey is working to better understand the factors shaping their survival, and to help inform conservation efforts both locally and across the hemisphere.