Osprey Population Decline Puzzles Connecticut Experts

According to the Connecticut Audubon Society's annual State of the Birds 2025 report, the osprey population in Connecticut, which had previously been on the verge of extinction, has seen a remarkable comeback in recent years. However, the latest findings indicate that the numbers are now trending down from a year ago.

The report's editor, Tom Andersen, explains that the number of active osprey nests in the state has fallen from over 900 last year to around 800 this year, with a noticeable decline in fledglings as well. While the drop is not a seismic shift, it is enough to cause concern among the researchers.

The Connecticut Audubon Society is now launching a study to determine the underlying causes of this population decline. Andersen suggests that it could be due to a variety of factors, including the ospreys reaching their carrying capacity, with the birds struggling to find enough food to feed their young. Another potential factor is the weather, with a wet spring followed by drought conditions potentially impacting the nests.

In contrast, the report also highlights the dire situation facing ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay region of Virginia, where an 80% failure rate in nests has been observed. Conservationists believe this is due to a depletion in the population of menhaden, a small, oily fish that is a crucial food source for the predatory birds.

The Connecticut Audubon Society is now set to launch a pilot project in 2026 to identify the primary fish species that the state's ospreys depend on, with the hope of determining whether a similar food source issue is contributing to the decline in their population.