The number of young ospreys in Iowa hit a record in 2025 with at least 58 fledglings. It stems from a decades-long reintroduction effort in the state and a growing number of nests.
Riggs Wilson, a wildlife research specialist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and contributor to the 2025 Osprey Nesting Report, said the migratory raptors are uniquely adapted to dive into water to catch fish. The birds have a clear, third eyelid called a “nictitating membrane.”
“That protects their eyes when they go into the water,” Wilson said. “They have specialized joints in their wings that allow them to take off straight up out of the water with their fish prey, and then they also have some specialized joints in their talons.”…