Ospreys are adapting to climate change with shifted migration timing and breeding phenology, with welfare implications.
Osprey climate adaptation involves individual welfare consequences as birds adjust phenology to changing conditions. Early-arriving birds that encounter cold late-season weather face food stress. Breeding birds whose timing mismatches with local prey fish availability may fail to provision chicks adequately. Climate-driven changes in fish distribution and abundance affect osprey foraging success. At the same time, ospreys are among the more resilient large raptors — their population recovery from near-collapse under DDT demonstrates adaptive capacity. Monitoring osprey welfare indicators including chick survival and adult body condition helps track climate impacts at the individual level.