Ospreys are disappearing along the East Coast. Scientists think they know why.

Osprey breeding success is collapsing along the U.S. East Coast, and researchers say the problem is spreading beyond the Chesapeake Bay. William & Mary biologist Bryan Watts and colleagues recorded the worst osprey breeding season they’ve ever documented across the Chesapeake in 2026, finding chicks emaciated and starving. In earlier monitoring, Watts checked 81 nests on Mobjack Bay over 3½ hours and saw mostly emptiness, with only three chicks surviving. A new East Coast snapshot shows 2,886 osprey pairs in 65 study areas across 10 Atlantic states, but only 28% of saltwater areas produced enough young versus 93% in freshwater areas. Scientists are examining prey shortages tied to Atlantic menhaden.