Iowa
Iowa osprey population continues to grow, DNR reports • Iowa Capital Dispatch
Data from the 2024 osprey nesting report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources shows the bird population is well established and continuing to grow in the state.
Last year, volunteers across the state monitored 50 osprey nests, and according to the 2024 report, saw 64% of the nests raise their young to the fledgling stage, or the age where the baby birds can fly, which the department considers a “successful nest.”
The osprey, a bird of prey unique for its entirely fish-based diet, was restored to Iowa from 1997 until 2016, and now the populations are monitored by DNR.
DNR Avian Ecologist Anna Buckardt Thomas said it is not always clear why some nests are successful and others are not, but she said Iowa had a high number of fledglings this year because of the overall growth in its osprey population.
“The population has taken hold in Iowa,” Buckardt Thomas said.
The bird was never observed by European settlers in Iowa but tribal nations who lived in the region have accounts of the birds nesting along Iowa’s many waterways. According to DNR, osprey populations across the country were heavily affected by organochlorines, like DDT, and by 1981 the continental U.S. had just 8,000 pairs of osprey.
The restoration process, which moved young birds from Minnesota and Wisconsin into strategic areas in Iowa, was successful. In 2024, Iowa had 39 active osprey nests, mostly in the Des Moines area, in the corridor between Waterloo and Iowa City, at Spirit Lake and near Sioux City.
Three-fourths of the observed osprey nests in 2024 were located on top of cell phone towers, which can cause problems for the birds when tower maintenance and nesting season coincide.
Ospreys are large raptors with wingspans up to 6 feet wide, light-colored underbellies and distinctive dark markings on the underside of the wings and around the eyes.
Buckardt Thomas said because the birds subsist entirely on fish, ospreys are indicative of water quality and fish populations in the state.
According to the report, the nests near Spirit Lake have the most fluctuation. In 2024 the area had three active nests, which was up from the singular active nest in 2023, but still down from the five active nests that were observed at the lake in 2018.
The nests are mostly monitored by volunteers who go out several times during breeding season to see if breeding is occurring, if eggs are being incubated, how many eggs hatch and finally, how many of the young reach the fledgling stage.
Buckardt Thomas said anyone interested in volunteering to monitor osprey nests, or any Iowan who notices a nest and wonders if it is being monitored, can email DNR’s volunteer wildlife monitoring program coordinator.
“We do have a great number of volunteers … but more volunteers is always better,” Buckardt Thomas said.
DNR is also looking for volunteers to monitor bald eagle nests and is hosting a workshop for interested volunteers on Feb. 9. In 2024, community volunteers monitored 400 eagle nests across the state. Registration for the workshop ends Feb. 6 and is mandatory.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home.
“I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for April 13-18. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:
Taylor Roose, Pella boys track and field
Roose competed in three events at the Norwalk Invitational, winning all three in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.
Daxon Kiesau, Urbandale boys track and field
Kiesau swept the throwing events at the Norwalk Invitational, taking first place in the shot put and the discus.
Alex Burger, Southeast Valley boys track and field
Competing at home, Burger dominated, earning four gold medals. He won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump while running on the winning 4×200-meter relay and shuttle hurdle relay.
Kolby Hodnefield, Clear Lake boys track and field
Hodenfield, a defending state champion, broke the meet, venue and school record in the 200 and the 400 at the Clear Lake Invitational. He added victories as part of the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Both relays also set meet records.
Easton Moon, North Polk boys tennis
Moon has started off his senior season on the courts unbeaten, winning all four matches while dropping just one game in 44 played.
Ava Lohrbach, Gilbert girls golf
One of the top golfers in the state, Lohrbach has had a hot start, firing a 35 in her nine-hole debut and a 72 for her 18-hole opener.
Nathan Manske, Algona boys golf
An elite quarterback and basketball player, Manske is showing his golfing skills this spring, coming out with a state-low 30 in a nine-hole event.
Ella Hein, Tipton girls track and field
Hein set school records in the 400-meter run and long jump at the Tiger/Tigerette Relays while also locking in the Blue Standard and qualifying for the Drake Relays. She won the long jump (18-6) and was second in the 400.
Maeve Bowen-Burt, Iowa City High girls track and field
The sophomore helped the Little Hawks land three Drake Relays events on the last night of qualifying, advancing in the 400 hurdles, along with the sprint medley and 4×400 relays.
About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
Follow
-
New York43 minutes agoInside the NYC Power Stations That Keep Trains Moving — or Bring Them to a Halt
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoDetroit Pistons already facing must-win Game 2 vs Orlando Magic
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoGiants Head Home to San Francisco After Shutout Loss
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoNew video of Lake Dallas explosion draws focus on order decades ago to remove old plastic pipes
-
Miami, FL2 hours ago
Ty Simpson considered staying in college for $6.5 million offer from Miami
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoTools for Your To Do List with Spot and Gemini Robotics | Boston Dynamics
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoDenver beekeeper says swarm season came a month early this year thanks to warm weather
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoHere, Kitty, Kitty: Scenes from POP Cats Seattle 2026