Some Factors in the Decline of the Osprey in Connecticut

Abstract

The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is an inviting subject for ecological study, with its exposed and often gregarious nesting, and its conspicuous feeding behavior. In many parts of the world the Osprey nests in loose colonies of a few to several hundred pairs. One of the best-known colonies in the northeastern United States is at the eastern end of Long Island Sound in coastal Connecticut and New York. The birds on Gardiners Island, New York, have been studied by many people, principally by LeRoy Wilcox, who has banded nestlings for more than 20 years. Until our study started, in 1957, the Ospreys on the Connecticut shore of the Sound had never been studied ecologically. Our goal, to evaluate popula- tion-regulating factors and other aspects of breeding ecology, has been only partially attained, but our tentative conclusions may prove of use to others studying the ecology of birds of prey.