WhenToBird

Osprey · Pandion haliaetus

When Do Ospreys Arrive in Indiana?

Adult female Osprey
Photo: Bill Levine, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Ospreys reach Indiana in mid March, are common by late March, peak in mid August (6.4% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 15-21mid March
Common byMar 22-31late March
PeakAug 15-21mid August
Most gone byOct 8-14the second week of October

Best: mid August. First arrivals mid March; most are gone by the second week of October. Peak: on about 6.4% of Indiana checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marcommon
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Maycommon
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Seppeak season
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novrare
  12. Decnot usually seen

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Ospreys in Indiana, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
OspreyMar 15-21Mar 22-31Aug 15-21Oct 8-146.4%
0%2%4%6%8%OspreyJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Osprey
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Indiana that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Indiana

Best counties for Osprey

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Union CountyBest the second week of August · 115 checklists that week, 4,811 in all47%
  2. Clark CountyBest the second week of August · 103 checklists that week, 5,057 in all39%
  3. Franklin CountyBest mid August · 55 checklists that week, 3,657 in all35%
  4. Daviess CountyBest the second week of September · 20 checklists that week, 442 in all33%
  5. Whitley CountyBest early August · 68 checklists that week, 4,695 in all32%
  6. Scott CountyBest early October · 13 checklists that week, 798 in all30%

Common questions

When do ospreys arrive in Indiana?
Ospreys reach Indiana in mid March, are common by late March, peak in mid August (6.4% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of October.
When do ospreys leave Indiana?
Most Ospreys have left Indiana by the second week of October, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid October.
When is the best time to see ospreys in Indiana?
The Osprey is reported most often in mid August, on about 6.4% of Indiana checklists.