WhenToBird

Osprey · Pandion haliaetus

When Do Ospreys Arrive in New Hampshire?

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

Ospreys reach New Hampshire in late March, are common by early April, peak in late April (8.5% of checklists), and most are gone by late September.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 22-31late March
Common byApr 1-7early April
PeakApr 22-30late April
Most gone bySep 22-30late September

Best: late April. First arrivals late March; most are gone by late September. Peak: on about 8.5% of New Hampshire checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Maruncommon
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octuncommon
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Ospreys in New Hampshire, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
OspreyMar 22-31Apr 1-7Apr 22-30Sep 22-308.5%
0%5%10%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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire

Best counties for Osprey

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Belknap CountyBest mid April · 406 checklists that week, 13,295 in all15%
  2. Rockingham CountyBest early August · 1368 checklists that week, 84,864 in all14%
  3. Coos CountyBest early May · 724 checklists that week, 27,719 in all11%
  4. Cheshire CountyBest late April · 1337 checklists that week, 39,834 in all8.9%
  5. Merrimack CountyBest late August · 898 checklists that week, 36,980 in all8.5%
  6. Strafford CountyBest late April · 1658 checklists that week, 41,888 in all8.1%

Common questions

When do ospreys arrive in New Hampshire?
Ospreys reach New Hampshire in late March, are common by early April, peak in late April (8.5% of checklists), and most are gone by late September.
When do ospreys leave New Hampshire?
Most Ospreys have left New Hampshire by late September, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of October.
When is the best time to see ospreys in New Hampshire?
The Osprey is reported most often in late April, on about 8.5% of New Hampshire checklists.