They look for sites near food, three to five kilometers from a body of water. A good nesting site also is surrounded by an open area, because most birds have a hard time maneuvering their wings in confined areas. Thus, most ospreys are found in isolated trees that have a flat top. In many instances an osprey will make man made structures its home. These structures include power poles, radio and light towers because they are easily accessible.
Ospreys can indicate the health of the enviroment by measuring their DDT and other chemical levels.
Since the osprey is a top predator, it can be the best indicator of the chemical levels within the environment. Ospreys can also be good for ecotourism purposes. Many people enjoy watching these magnificent birds of prey. Negative Ospreys have had few negative impacts on humans. Unfortunately, some fishermen believe that the osprey hunt their food, but over time the impact of osprey on fish populations has been found to be neglible in practice.