Their numbers are declining. Birds are the indicators of the health of the planet, they are easy to study and provide a wealth of information on environmental health, so when a species like the osprey is at the top of the food chain, their population and health become an area of concern. The rate of chicks' survival is now estimated to be .88, down from 1.5 earlier in the 90's. New Jersey now has about 250 nesting pairs of osprey in New Jersey and in order to grow the population, the success ratio of raising their young must go up over 1.0. Although the osprey can eat reptiles, amphibians and even small mammals, these raptors have a very distinct food source they prefer.
Ospreys live near rivers, lakes, streams and by the ocean.
They are hunters, not scavengers, and prefer live fish as their main food. Their bodies have evolved into streamlined hunters, true birds of prey. They can have up to 6-foot wingspans to soar over the habitat looking for food. They will hover over their prey and then dive to catch it. They can't swim, but rather must judge the weight of their prize and use their strong talons to capture their slippery prey, lift it out of the water and fly to a safe roost to eat.