Following Ospreys by Satellite: teacher key

Ospreys, grade 11 edition, written for 11th grade. Ospreys eat almost nothing but fish. They hunt by diving, build large stick nests, and migrate south for the winter, and researchers have followed them with satellite transmitters.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. About how often does a dive end with a fish caught?
   • On a quarter or more of dives (answer)
   • On almost no dives
   • On every single dive
2. Which are larger, female or male ospreys?
   • Males are larger
   • Females are larger (answer)
   • They are the same size
3. What kept water from entering an osprey's nostrils?
   • A thick bill
   • Dense oily plumage and efficient nasal valves (answer)
   • A closed third eyelid
4. How many breeding pairs were found on the Elizabeth River in 1995?
   • Only 8 (answer)
   • About 60
   • About 3,500
5. In 2013, what did New Hampshire Public Radio report was the biggest hurdle for migrating New Hampshire ospreys?
   • A lack of food
   • Flocks of other birds
   • The weather over the Gulf of Mexico (answer)
6. How long can an osprey fly non-stop?
   • About 5 hours
   • 48 hours (answer)
   • About 4 days