First Wild Osprey Chicks Hatch in Switzerland Since 1914

In 1914, the last recorded pair of breeding ospreys in Switzerland disappeared, leaving behind an empty ecological niche across the country’s lakes and rivers. More than a century later, an 11-year conservation initiative has reached a major milestone: a pair of migratory ospreys returned to nest in Switzerland for the first time since 1914, successfully hatching three chicks.

The return is the product of a restoration program launched in 2014 to rebuild a self-sustaining breeding population in Central Europe. Between 2015 and 2020, conservationists managed the relocation of young birds by importing 66 chicks from Norway and Germany to hand-rear them on artificial platforms until they fledged and migrated south for the winter.

Because Osprey males exhibit strong site fidelity, typically returning to nest near where they first learned to fly, the reintroduction relied heavily on young birds imprinting on Swiss territory before their initial migration. Returning adults take several years to reach sexual maturity and establish breeding territories, making the decade-long wait for a successful wild nest a long-term test of patience for researchers.

The newly established breeding pair settled in the Three Lakes region, where the male was identified as belonging to the project’s 2020 cohort by a numbered blue ring. The pair built their nest and successfully incubated their clutch despite facing an unseasonably cold and rainy spring season.

The three chicks hatched between May 25 and May 29, marking a crucial step forward for biodiversity recovery efforts in the region. Project coordinator Wendy Strahm described the success as exceptional given the difficult weather conditions during incubation, proving that reintroduced birds can adapt and breed in contemporary Swiss wetland habitats.

While a single breeding pair does not immediately guarantee long-term population stability, it establishes a vital foothold for the species in the regional ecosystem. As these three chicks grow and eventually begin their own migratory cycles, conservationists hope this initial success marks the permanent return of breeding raptors to Switzerland’s waterways after a century-long absence.

Sources

• First Osprey nesting pair in Switzerland in 112 years — SWI swissinfo.ch
• Osprey breeds again in Switzerland – for the first time in over 110 years — Wild beim Wild
• Return of the Osprey: First Nesting Pair in 112 Years Hatches Chicks in Switzerland — Swiss Observer