Osprey Survival Concerns

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 Bryan  Watts at the Center for Conservation Biology at William and Mary and other researchers have found that chicks are starving due to a lack of  fish such as Atlantic menhaden, which are essential for chick growth and survival. Conservation experts believe that declines in menhaden populations are linked to intensive commercial harvesting in the lower Bay, reducing the availability of this critical food source. 

Our Operation Osprey team continues to track the types and quantities of fish delivered to nests to assess whether there is adequate prey abundance and diversity throughout the breeding season.

  Predation remains a consistent but secondary concern. As bald eagle and great horned owl populations have recovered since the DDT era, competition for nesting territories and resources has increased. Osprey broods are sometimes lost to these larger raptors, particularly in areas with high nesting density or limited food availability.

  Severe weather and temperature extremes are another significant challenge for Osprey survival. Cold rains, spring storms, and excessive heat can all impact nests during critical stages of chick development. Eggs and newly hatched chicks are especially vulnerable when they are too young to regulate body temperature. Increasingly unpredictable weather patterns across the Bay region may be contributing to higher rates of nest failure in recent years.