Osprey: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Hawks and Falcons · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. Among raptors, only ospreys and owls can swing an outer toe backwards. Two toes in front, two behind: perfect for a slippery fish.
2. An osprey's nest can be up to 2 m across and weigh roughly 135 kg. On utility poles, nests may even cause power outages.
3. On migration, ospreys cover 260 to 280 km a day on average, and up to 431 km at most.
4. Only the peregrine falcon is found across more of the world than the osprey. It is one of just six land birds living worldwide.
5. The osprey's family split from its closest raptor relatives about 50.8 million years ago.

The quiz

1. How does an osprey arrange its toes to hold a fish?

• Three toes in front and one behind
• Two toes in front and two behind (correct)
• All four toes in front
• One toe in front and three behind

It can swing an outer toe backwards, so it holds a fish with two toes in front and two behind.

2. What can an osprey nest on a utility pole cause?

• Power outages (correct)
• Radio interference
• Flooding
• Traffic jams

An osprey's nest can be up to 2 m across and weigh roughly 135 kg. On utility poles, nests may even cause power outages.

3. What is the longest distance an osprey can cover in a day of migration?

• 260 km
• 280 km
• 431 km (correct)
• 1,431 km

Ospreys average 260 to 280 km a day on migration, with a maximum of 431 km.

4. Which raptor is more widely distributed than the osprey?

• The golden eagle
• The bald eagle
• The red kite
• The peregrine falcon (correct)

Only the peregrine falcon is spread across more of the world than the osprey.

5. How long ago did the osprey's family split from its relatives?

• About 50.8 million years ago (correct)
• About 5.8 million years ago
• About 150 million years ago
• About 50,000 years ago

The osprey's family split from its closest raptor relatives about 50.8 million years ago.

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