Science Advisor

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Dr. Paul Spitzer is a leading expert on osprey ecology, and his research has played a major role in understanding and conserving this iconic raptor. Paul started his lifelong adventure studying Ospreys in 1968 with guidance from Roger Tory Peterson. 

As a graduate student at Cornell and later as a Ph.D. researcher, Spitzer documented the dramatic population decline of Ospreys along the U.S. East Coast, especially in Long Island and Chesapeake Bay, due to DDT contamination. He showed how eggshell thinning caused by DDT and other organochlorine pesticides led to reproductive failure. After the U.S. ban on DDT (1972), Spitzer conducted long-term studies tracking the Osprey’s recovery. He worked on nest monitoring, banding chicks, and advocating for the installation of artificial nesting platforms, which were key to helping osprey populations rebound.

Dr. Spitzer investigated Osprey migration routes and wintering habitats, including studies in South America and the Caribbean. He examined how global threats like deforestation,

overfishing and pollution affect Osprey survival along migratory pathways. Paul studies and writes with a global and ecological focus, viewing the osprey as an indicator species for aquatic ecosystem health.

Beyond academic work, Spitzer has been a passionate advocate for environmental education, giving talks, writing for the public, and consulting on conservation projects. We at Operation Osprey are grateful for his participation in our monitoring program and he still can lift the mirror pole to observe our Osprey nests!