Oh Baby! 3 Baby Ospreys Born By Huntington Lighthouse Birds

HUNTINGTON HARBOR, NY — The Huntington Lighthouse ospreys are parents! The mom and dad gave birth to three chicks — their first known offspring since they built their nest at the harbor two years ago.

"We're thrilled that our resident ospreys are finally parents," said Pam Setchell, president of the Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS), in a news release. "We've been patiently waiting for this day since the first nest was built back in 2021, and we couldn't be happier for the pair."

In spring 2021, a pair of juvenile ospreys took up residency on the lighthouse dock — a dangerous location for the birds and a hinderance to the lighthouse staff. A raised platform was built with help from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and the ospreys' nest was moved to a penthouse spot on the north side of the lighthouse. For the past two summers, birds have built nests on the platform and eggs were laid, but none produced hatchlings.

The DEC continues to support the protection of osprey throughout Long Island and New York state, said DEC Wildlife Biologist Chip Hamilton.

"We congratulate the Huntington Lighthouse for their effort to provide a safe place for the returning osprey to nest," Hamilton said. "This marks the third year a pair has used the platform at the light house and the first successful hatching. The recovery of osprey following the ban of the insecticide DDT has been remarkable and continued efforts such as erecting platforms have aided in the recovery of the species."

Osprey pairs share parenting duties. The female will typically sit on the nest protecting the hatchlings while the male brings back fish for the family. Six weeks after hatching, the mother starts hunting again, delivering a fish to the nest for her growing brood, who have learned to feed themselves. At about eight weeks, the hatchlings — now called fledglings — will take their first flight.

The discovery of the chicks coincides with World Ocean Day, celebrated every year on June 8. Cleaner waters, an abundance of prey, better protections, and the elimination of DDT as a pesticide have all contributed to the osprey's success story.

Osprey nests have become common sightings around Long Island’s marshy shorelines, a testament to the birds' rebound from near extinction in the 1960s. Ospreys are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and disturbing an active nest is a federal and state offense. Ospreys mate for life, going their separate ways when migrating south for the winter but reuniting in the spring and summer, returning to the same nest.

Father's Day is also on Sunday, so congratulations are in order for the father osprey!

"The safety of the new parents and chicks continues to be a priority, and we look forward to providing a safe summer home for our resident ospreys," Setchell said.

Summer tours and the Lighthouse Music Festival, scheduled for Sept. 2, are still on.

"We are working to ensure summer tours can safely continue for the birds and our guests," Setchell said. "And we are thrilled that our popular music festival will be a go."