Osprey came back from the brink once. Now chicks are dying in nests, and some blame overfishing
July 12, 2025
The osprey is in decline in one of its key territories and some scientists blame overfishing of menhaden, an important food for the birds. The osprey is a fish-eating raptor known for gymnastic dives and whistle-like chirps. And it’s an American conservation success story: The hawk-like bird rebounded after DDT was banned, and now numbers in the thousands across the U.S. But biologist Bryan Watts has documented an alarming trend: The birds are failing to successfully fledge enough chicks around their key population center, the Chesapeake Bay. Members of the menhaden fishing industry say it’s unfair to pin the blame solely on them.
