15 Osprey Fun Facts (for a 6-year-old)

Here are 15 short and fun facts about ospreys. Read them one at a time and imagine the bird flying and fishing!

1. Ospreys are also called "fish hawks" because they eat mostly fish.
2. They live near rivers, lakes, and the sea — almost all over the world.
3. An osprey's wings are very wide — about 5 to 6 feet across (that can be as wide as a tall grown-up!).
4. Ospreys have super-sharp eyesight and can see fish way down in the water.
5. They dive down feet-first into the water to grab fish with their talons.
6. Their feet have sharp curved claws and rough pads to hold slippery fish tight.
7. They can move one toe backward so the fish is held with two toes in front and two behind — like a built-in fish-grabber.
8. When they dive, they can close their nostrils so no water goes up their nose.
9. Ospreys have special glands that remove extra salt, so they can live near salty ocean water.
10. They build big stick nests on tall places like trees, poles, or special platforms people put up for them.
11. Many ospreys come back to the same nest year after year.
12. Ospreys usually lay 2 or 3 eggs. Both mom and dad help take care of the eggs and chicks.
13. Baby ospreys are called chicks. They stay in the nest until they learn to fly.
14. Lots of ospreys fly far away to warmer places when it gets cold — this is called migration.
15. People like to help ospreys by giving them safe places to nest and keeping water clean so there are plenty of fish.

Want to try a fun activity? Draw an osprey with its wings wide and a fish in its talons!