Ospreys, Genes and Satellites: teacher key

Ospreys, grade 12 edition, written for 12th grade and up. Ospreys eat almost nothing but fish. They live near water on every continent except Antarctica, and their numbers in North America largely rebounded after DDT was banned.

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. What kept water from entering an osprey's nostrils?
   • A thick bill
   • Dense oily plumage and efficient nasal valves (answer)
   • A closed third eyelid
3. How many subspecies does the most widely accepted arrangement recognise?
   • Two
   • Nine
   • Four (answer)
4. What do researchers suggest is the primary driver of low osprey reproduction in the Chesapeake?
   • Atlantic menhaden availability (answer)
   • The colour of the nests
   • The length of the legs
5. Which ospreys traveled farther each day in spring than in fall?
   • Ospreys in the UK
   • Ospreys in the Caribbean
   • Adult males and East Coast ospreys (answer)
6. When do ospreys arrive in the Chesapeake Bay region?
   • Late November
   • Early March (answer)
   • Midwinter