Osprey Platform Program

The osprey is a familiar site around water ways in Alabama.  Avid fishermen, ospreys hover 50 to 100 feet above the water before plunging feet first to seize prey beneath the surface. Like all raptors, ospreys carry their kill elsewhere to eat it, even turning the fish during flight to make it more aerodynamic.  Ninety-nine percent of the osprey diet consists of fish, which is why you will see their messy nests atop dead trees near or directly above area waterways.  Osprey populations were rapidly declining in the 1960s and 1970s due to widespread use of the organochloride DDT, commonly used as a pesticide and subsequently being swept into nearby waterways during rain events.  DDT accumulates in fish as they eat plants and other fish that have it in their system.  When ospreys eat these fish, the chemical accumulates in their body, interfering with calcium production necessary to produce egg shells strong enough to support life.  Thankfully, DDT was banned for most uses in the United States in 1972 in, largely based on biologist Rachel Carson’s work Silent Spring, which offered proof of the detrimental effects of the chemical and questioned the widespread use of similar chemicals without knowing the effects of their use.  Since then, osprey populations in the United States have been steadily rising.

The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates at least 20-25 nesting pairs are present in the Mobile Bay and Delta areas each year.  While there are many suitable trees for nesting located in the delta, coastal and riparian nesting areas in Central and South Baldwin and Mobile Counties have been removed by development initiatives.  Because of this pressure, ACF constructs osprey nesting platforms each year to be placed in areas scarce in suitable nesting spots.  Not only will this provide a safe area for the species to nest, but it will also allow the public to view more of these magnificent raptors at a respectful distance and raise awareness about the species.  (Note:  Always stay 50 to 100 feet away from an osprey nest, as osprey parents may abandon their young if threatened). 

The story of the osprey is a constant reminder of not only how detrimental human activities can be on the natural world, but also how efforts of concerned and informed individuals can make a positive difference.

An intrepid ACF volunteer puts the finishing touches on a new osprey platform.

Osprey platforms provide a safe place to nest for this raptor family.