Ospreys of the Bitterroot Valley: Monitoring, Conservation, and Citizen Science

Sign up by Sunday 4/19 at 7pm: https://forms.gle/fX4EKL8BvJ8wdT6p7

Date: April 20th , 2026
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Audience: Bitterroot Bird Alliance
Presenter: Kylie Denny

What if you could contribute to scientific research – just by watching an osprey nest?
Ospreys are a familiar sight throughout the Bitterroot Valley, but we still have much to learn
about their migration, overwintering, and breeding ecology. At Raptor View Research Institute,
we’re working to better understand each stage of the annual cycle through our long-term
monitoring of the local osprey population. Using GPS tracking technology, we are collecting
data on movement patterns, survival, and habitat use throughout the entire annual cycle.
However, GPS data alone cannot provide details about breeding behavior and nest success. Thus,
we are still missing key details about how environmental contaminants, food availability,
weather conditions, and other environmental factors influence the reproductive success of our
local ospreys. To address these gaps, we are working to expand our nest monitoring efforts
during the 2026 breeding season.
We hope to do this through an Adopt-a-Nest program, which invites community members to help
us monitor osprey nests throughout the Bitterroot Valley. By involving volunteers, we can
monitor more nests across a larger area and visit them more frequently than would otherwise be
possible. This approach will allow us to collect valuable data on breeding activity and nest
success while providing an opportunity for the local community to contribute to ongoing
research and conservation.
This talk will share what we’re learning about local ospreys and the value of citizen science in
wildlife research — so join us if you’re interested in learning more about these birds and how
you can contribute to local research and conservation efforts!