Ospreys, once nearly extinct due to pesticides, have rebounded since DDT regulation, but are now struggling in the Chesapeake Bay region. Bryan Watts has observed a decline in successful chick fledging linked to the decreasing availability of menhaden, a vital food source for the birds. Environmentalists argue this decline could lead to a severe drop in osprey numbers, echoing their previous endangered status, while the fishing industry disputes this connection, highlighting menhaden's role in various markets.
The fish-eating raptor known for gymnastic dives and whistle-like chirps is an American conservation success story. After pesticides and other hazards nearly eliminated the species from much of the country, the hawk-like bird rebounded after the banning of DDT in 1972 and now numbers in the thousands in the U.S.
Watts has documented an alarming trend. The birds, which breed in many parts of the U.S., are failing to successfully fledge enough chicks around their key population center of the Chesapeake Bay.
Without menhaden to eat, chicks are starving and dying in nests, Watts said. Osprey are an environmental indicator.
Watts's claim has put him and environmental groups at odds with the fishing industry, trade unions and sometimes government regulators.
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