When do ospreys leave Massachusetts?

Most Ospreys have left Massachusetts by mid September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid October.

When is the best time to see ospreys in Massachusetts?

The Osprey is reported most often in the second week of August, on about 22% of Massachusetts checklists.

Osprey · Pandion haliaetus

When Do Ospreys Arrive in Massachusetts?

Photo: Bill Levine, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Ospreys reach Massachusetts in mid March, are common by early April, peak in the second week of August (22% of checklists), and most are gone by mid September.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 15-21mid March

Common byApr 1-7early April

PeakAug 8-14the second week of August

Most gone bySep 15-21mid September

Best: the second week of August. First arrivals mid March; most are gone by mid September. Peak: on about 22% of Massachusetts checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Maruncommon
Aprcommon
Maycommon
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Sepcommon
Octuncommon
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Ospreys in Massachusetts, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Osprey	Mar 15-21	Apr 1-7	Aug 8-14	Sep 15-21	22%

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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts

Best counties for Osprey

Share of checklists at the peak

Dukes CountyBest the second week of August · 517 checklists that week, 23,670 in all56%
Nantucket CountyBest mid April · 530 checklists that week, 23,895 in all52%
Bristol CountyBest mid August · 908 checklists that week, 65,262 in all45%
Barnstable CountyBest early August · 4569 checklists that week, 215,188 in all44%
Plymouth CountyBest early August · 1388 checklists that week, 89,282 in all41%
Norfolk CountyBest mid August · 1827 checklists that week, 114,756 in all22%

Common questions

When do ospreys arrive in Massachusetts?: Ospreys reach Massachusetts in mid March, are common by early April, peak in the second week of August (22% of checklists), and most are gone by mid September.
When do ospreys leave Massachusetts?: Most Ospreys have left Massachusetts by mid September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until mid October.
When is the best time to see ospreys in Massachusetts?: The Osprey is reported most often in the second week of August, on about 22% of Massachusetts checklists.