Osprey return to Connecticut from their southern wintering grounds in late March. They usually choose nest sites near or over water but will travel up to several miles from the nest to seek food. However, osprey adapt to available sites and have been known to nest on top of duck blinds, channel markers, roots of upturned trees, chimneys, school buildings and utility poles. Osprey readily use artificial nest platforms, and wildlife managers encourage the use of such platforms in areas where there are few natural nest sites. Osprey pairs usually return to the same nest site and add new nest materials to the old nest each year.
Eggs are white to pink or cinnamon and heavily blotched with dark brown.
Adults are protective of the nest site and may exhibit aggressive behavior at the approach of a potential intruder. The month-long incubation period is usually completed by the female, who is fed by the male during this time. Sixty days after hatching, young osprey make their first flight. After fledging, the young remain with the parents for up to two months. Young remain at wintering grounds for two to three years until they return to the north to make their first breeding attempt.