University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor Tih-Fen Ting, director of the School of Integrated Sciences, Sustainability and Public Health in the College of Health, Science and Technology, has played a key role in helping increase the osprey bird population in Illinois. Since Ting and others began their work in 2013, the state’s osprey bird population has grown from 16 known breeding pairs to 90 pairs in 2023.

Ospreys, large fish-eating birds known for their distinctive nests and hunting skills, were once uncommon in Illinois. Before 2010, nesting attempts were sporadic and few permanent breeding pairs were established.

Ting’s current research is supported by a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), with support from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). UIS students have played a major role in the project. They have helped raise, monitor and track young ospreys translocated from Massachusetts, conducted the first statewide osprey nest survey in 2025 and are studying how climate change and prey abundance may affect reproductive success in the source population.

“It’s very exciting to see the number of osprey nests increasing over the years,” Ting said. “I extend my sincere gratitude to the USFWS for funding this project and to IDNR for their invaluable support. This work would not have been possible without the generous in-kind assistance from numerous institutions, including UIS, and dedicated individuals over the years.”

To improve recovery, Ting and her team use a technique called “hacking,” which involves relocating young ospreys from other regions and caring for them until they can fly and survive on their own. The approach has worked well in other Midwestern states, including Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio.

“Among the few general approaches used to reintroduce birds of prey, hacking is considered the best technique because of its versatility in practice for a wide variety of raptor species and its potential to establish site fidelity in the released birds,” Ting said.

UIS has partnered with the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s South Coast Osprey Project to obtain chicks for relocation to sites in Illinois, including Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area and Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Management Area.

However, challenges remain. Ting notes that many ospreys in northern Illinois are nesting on cell towers and utility poles instead of artificial nest platforms, which could create safety and maintenance concerns in populated areas. Continuing the hacking program in rural central Illinois remains an important goal for long-term recovery.

The next phase of the project will include statewide nest surveys to measure how many young ospreys successfully leave the nest each year. The information will help determine whether the species can eventually be removed from Illinois’ state-threatened list.

“Despite an increase in the number of osprey nests statewide, little is known about the number of fledglings added to the population each year,” Ting said. “Therefore, we survey the nests to determine the productivity of the breeding osprey population in Illinois. Eventually, we will incorporate such information into a Population Viability Analysis to help inform future delisting decisions for ospreys in Illinois.”