Winter Lecture: Ospreys on the Patuxent

Speaker: Alex Pellegrini, Avian Ecologist 

Discover the fascinating world of the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the iconic “fish hawk” of the Chesapeake Bay. Avian ecologist Alex Pellegrini will explore Osprey biology, banding, reintroduction efforts, and the remarkable conservation journey that brought this once-imperiled species back to thriving numbers. 

Alex Pellegrini is an avian ecologist based in Maryland and a 2022 graduate of Towson University, where he studied Conservation Biology and Animal Behavior. As the Farmland Raptor Program Coordinator for the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, he oversees statewide efforts to support American Kestrels and Barn Owls. He also works at Patuxent River Park conducting Osprey monitoring, Sora migration research, and MAPS songbird banding. 

His work extends to Operation Osprey data management, the Maryland/D.C. Records Committee, Project Owlnet, and international collaborations including the Global Owl Project and the International Short-Eared Owl Working Group.