the return of the fish hawk - project osprey curriculum · new hampshire (asnh) and the new...

The Return of the Fish Hawk

Project Osprey Curriculum

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A Cooperative Project ofPublic Service ofNew Hampshire,

Audubon Society ofNew Hampshire and

New Hampshire Fish andGame Department

A Cooperative Project ofPublic Service ofNew Hampshire,

Audubon Society ofNew Hampshire and

New Hampshire Fish andGame Department

Printed on Recycled Paper© NHF&G, 2002. NGM00004.P65

Project Osprey: A Partnership for RecoveryAs a five-year project, the Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH), Audubon Society of

New Hampshire (ASNH) and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department have joined forces toconcentrate efforts on removing ospreys from the state’s threatened species list. Project Ospreyexpands ongoing recovery efforts with the added benefit of a corporate partner, PSNH. It represents amajor investment from a corporation and will result in the first recovery plan for a state-listed species.

Project Osprey has three goals: to foster a self-sustaining osprey population; develop a compre-hensive educational program; and promote the partnership as a model for more collaboration amongthe business community, government agencies and environmental organizations.

The project began during the spring of 2000, with biologists developing a recovery plan anddetermining how strong the osprey population should be before it can be considered recovered. PSNHhas long been a partner in osprey recovery by providing crews and equipment to erect artificial nest-ing platforms for ospreys. Project plans include the erection of fifteen more platforms. Nesting plat-forms are critical for attracting ospreys into new areas to spread out the distribution so they are notall concentrated in one part of the state. Once ospreys start using new breeding areas, others willfollow.

The educational component of Project Osprey includes developing a teachers curriculum onecological concepts, establishing a web site for students to keep tabs on the project, training volun-teers to help monitor ospreys and even providing live video images of ospreys. Project coordinatorsare hoping to have cameras at a nest site that schools will be able to use to access real-time video ofwhat’s happening on the nest.

Project Osprey Curriculum 1

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ContentsA Teachers’ Note............................................................... 2

Welcome Back! ................................................................. 3

Osprey’s the Name, Fishing’s the Game ............................ 4

Raptors: Check Them Out! ................................................ 5Raptor Adaptations...........................................................................7

Osprey Adaptations ..........................................................................7

Poisoned! .......................................................................... 8

Ospreys and the Deadly Link ............................................ 9

Is There Something in the Water? ................................... 12Pollutant Information Sheet ...........................................................15

How Many Ospreys Can Live Here? ................................ 16

Wanted: Prime Habitat .................................................... 17

Fast Frozen Flounders .................................................... 21

All Aboard for Points South ............................................ 24

Migration Headache ........................................................ 25Habitat Scenarios ........................................................................... 28

Which Way is Home? ...................................................... 29Migration Route Map ...................................................................... 31

References ...................................................................... 32

2 Project Osprey Curriculum

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A Teachers’ NoteThe Project Osprey teacher resource

booklet contains a two-week, multi-disciplin-ary curriculum that focuses on ospreys. It canbe used in its entirety or broken into parts thatcan be used individually as supplementaleducational materials and activities. Theinformational materials and activities aredesigned for middle school students, but canbe modified to reach both younger and olderstudents.

The osprey resource booklet can bedivided into four sections, each based on aspecific theme. The first section “Osprey’s theName, Fishing’s the Game,” provides anintroduction to ospreys and the physical andbehavioral adaptations that make them uniqueamong raptors; the second, “Poisoned!”focuses on food chain contamination; the third“How Many Ospreys Can Live Here?” providesan insight into habitat needs, limiting factorsand carrying capacities; and the fourth, “Mi-gration Gyrations,” delves into migrationissues. Each section contains backgroundinformation and activities to provide interac-tive learning opportunities.

When preparing to introduce the activi-

ties to a class, teachers should read the fourtheme introductions and the backgroundsections for each activity. They will help fosteran adequate understanding of the four themesand the facts and concepts needed to lead theactivities. You are encouraged to extend theactivities with further discussions, additionalresearch and by using some of the activitieslisted in the extension section at the end ofmost of the activities. You are welcome to copyany of the activity sections to use as handouts.

By far the most exciting and memorableactivity for teachers and students would be avisit to one of the active nest sites located indifferent areas of New Hampshire. To arrangefor a site visit with a trained docent in theGreat Bay area contact staff at the SandyPoint Discovery Center in Stratham at (603)778-0015. For information about other activeand accessible nest sites in the state, contactstaff at the Audubon Society of New Hamp-shire at (603) 224-9909 or check its websiteat: www.nhaudubon.org. Teachers in the northcountry may want to contact U.S. Fish andWildlife Service staff in Errol at (603) 482-3415 for information about osprey viewingopportunities in the Lake Umbagog area.


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How exciting it is to once again catch thesight of an osprey flying and hovering

above, scanning a wetland or river for its nextmeal of fish. Once it spots its prey, it folds itswings close to its body, plummets down, thenplunges in feet first with a great splash. Itcomes up moments later to fly off with awriggling fish in its talons to take to itshungry young, waiting impatiently nearby in ahuge nest of sticks.

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), large, fish-eating raptors, sometimes referred to as fishhawks, are considered a threatened species inNew Hampshire. Once relatively commonbreeders in the state, and all along the Atlanticseaboard, osprey populations plummeted toseriously low levels in the 1950s, 1960s and1970s due to the widespread use of the chemi-cal DDT as a pesticide on agricultural andforest crops. As with many North Americanraptors at the top of their food chains, highconcentrations of DDT accumulated in thefatty tissues of ospreys causing them to layeggs with shells so thin they broke duringincubation. The New Hampshire populationwas decimated to a mere handful of pairs leftin the remote, northern area of Lake Umbagog.

Ospreys are found throughout the world.The four subspecies are divided primarily bygeographic location. One subspecies is foundin Europe, and includes those ospreys inhabit-ing the northwest coast of Africa, and parts ofAsia. A second subspecies is found in theCaribbean, a third in Australia and the fourthin North America. The North American subspe-cies can be divided, again geographically, intofour populations, which are in the northwest,Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, the northern Mid-west (primarily Canada, but extending intoMinnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan) and the

Atlantic seaboard (extending around the coastof Florida to the Gulf coasts of Mississippi andAlabama). Fifty percent of the United States’ospreys are found on the Atlantic seaboard. Itwas that population, and to a lesser degree,the Midwest ospreys that were most seriouslydecimated by DDT use.

Now, more than thirty years since the1972 ban of the use of DDT in the UnitedStates, ospreys are back and expanding theirrange in New Hampshire. It has only recentlybecome an increasingly common sight to seeospreys hunting the shallows of Great Bay, anexpansive coastal estuary in the southeastcorner of the state, and along the Androscog-gin River in more northern New Hampshire. Inaddition, breeding pairs can now be found at anumber of sites in the Lakes Region and in thelower Merrimack River basin.

Human intervention in New England andsome other areas is now helping, rather thanhurting ospreys. It has been found that artifi-cial structures, such as radio and light towers,power poles, buoys and special platforms arefast replacing trees as preferred nest sites inmany areas. The artificial structures providewide, sturdy bases on which to build nests andthey are usually more difficult for predators toclimb. Biologists feel that the osprey popula-tion in some portions of New Hampshire islimited by the lack of well-located, availablenest sites. To address that need many folks inthe state are working together to provide moreartificial nest sites. In addition, they areworking to educate the public about ospreysand ways they can help the state’s small, butgrowing population.

Welcome Back!


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Imagine trying to live and feed your familyonly on the fish you could catch with your

“bare” hands, without the benefit of a hook,line, spear or net. Well, ospreys do just that.Both their similarity to hawks and the fact thatthey feed almost exclusively on fish haveresulted in their being dubbed “fish hawks.”

Ospreys are generally found in shallowfresh and saltwater areas, where schools offish swim near the surface of the water.Ospreys spot and dive for fish from sometimesmore than a hundred feet above the surface ofthe water. Plunging in feet-first, they catchfish in their talons, and emerge to fly with thefish to a nearby tree or nest site.

What makes ospreys so adept at huntingand catching fish, when other hawks are not?They have several adaptations, or specificevolved physical characteristics, that enablethem to fill a niche that excludes other hawks.Perhaps most distinctive, are an osprey’s feetand legs, which can be considered its huntingweapons. The talons are very long and sharpand can snap shut in 2/100 of a second. Thebase of the footpad and toes are covered withshort, sharp spines that enable ospreys to gripslippery fish. In addition, they have a flexibleouter toe that can reverse position, so thereare two toes forward and two back for bettergripping. Long legs, with few feathers, enablean osprey to reach well down into the water tocatch fish. Once caught, the fish are turned sothey are facing forward and can be carriedtorpedo fashion to minimize wind resistance.

Osprey beaks are strong and hooked,with a cutting edge for pulling and tearingloose bites of fish, which are tough-skinnedand often bony. Plumage is dense and oily,which helps keep the birds dry, even whensubmerged. As with most birds, ospreys have a

Osprey’s the Name, Fishing’s the Gamepreen gland that produces oil which they workinto their feathers to waterproof them. As withhumans in most “waterproof” rain gear,though, ospreys will eventually get soaked in aheavy rain, or when repeatedly plunging intothe water, which is often what happens whentheir fishing attempts are unsuccessful.Ospreys may die from the cold and wet,especially young birds that are not as adept atfishing.

Like most hawks, but unlike many otherbirds, ospreys molt their feathers in such away that efficient flight is maintained at alltimes. They do not lose their flight feathers atthe same time, but rather molt their primariesgradually, and in successive waves, startingnear the body on each wing and working outtoward the tip. Adjacent flight feathers arenever molted at the same time.

Ospreys are strong fliers due to powerfulmusculature, a nearly five-foot wing span anda slightly bent wing shape. Imagine thestrength an osprey must have to take off wetfrom the water carrying a wriggling fish in itstalons that weighs up to thirty percent of itsbody weight. In addition, unlike most otherbirds of prey, ospreys do not rely on windcurrents and thermals to help them duringmigrations. In fact, they are able to minimizethe distances they travel during migrations byflying directly over large bodies of water,rather than around them as most raptors do.


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(adapted from Adaptation Artistry: Project WILD©Council for Environmental Education 2000 andPeregrine Falcons - the Flight to Recovery: Right onWith Raptors; Colorado Division of Wildlife)

Duration: 2 - 45 minute classes

Materials: art supplies; field guides thatinclude raptors

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 3b, 3c; language arts:3, 6

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) define the

term adaptation as it applies to plants andanimals; 2) identify and describe three raptoradaptations; and 3) describe five adaptationsspecific to ospreys and the advantages theyprovide.

MethodThrough research and discussion, stu-

dents identify raptor and osprey characteris-tics and create their own ospreys.

BackgroundRaptors, also called birds of prey, have

several similar behavioral and physical charac-teristics. They are carnivorous; have strong,hooked bills for tearing flesh; have powerfulfeet with long talons (claws) for grasping prey;and forward-facing eyes for acute long-dis-tance vision. There are many kinds of raptors,including ospreys, owls, hawks, eagles, falconsand vultures. Each has characteristics thatdistinguish it from other raptors.

Ospreys are large, fish-eating hawks thatplunge into the water from high above to catchfish with their talons. Osprey feet have a

pivoting outer toe and sharp scales, whichenable them to catch and grasp slippery fish.

Owls are silent, mostly nocturnal (night-time) hunters. They have large eyes thatgather large amounts of light, enabling them tohunt in darkness. They also have cup-likefacial disks around their eyes, which helpfocus sound and improve hearing.

Falcons have narrow, pointed wings thathelp them to fly fast and maneuver skillfully.They have black eyes, hooked talons andconspicuously notched bills (tomial teeth).

Vultures are scavengers (carrion eaters).They have unfeathered heads, which is animportant adaptation for carrion-eating birdsthat poke their heads into carcasses to feed.Strong feet and sharp talons are not as impor-tant to carrion eaters because they don’t catchand transport live prey.

Accipiters are woodland-dwelling hawks.They have long, squarish tails and short,rounded wings that enable them to maneuverthrough trees as they hunt for small birds.

These characteristics are adaptationsthat enable raptors to survive in their uniqueenvironments.

Procedure1. Discuss the term adaptation as it applies to

animals and plants.

2. Define “raptors,” including mention of thespecies identified in the background infor-mation and general characteristics thatseparate them from other types of birds.

3. Provide the “Raptor Adaptations” list(included) on the board or provide the list asa handout. Working in small groups usingthe adaptations list and field guides have

Raptors: Check Them Out!


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students list two adaptations specific foreach of the raptor species identified in thebackground section; and briefly describeadvantages of those adaptations.

4. Create a chart on the board based on eachgroups’ findings.

5. Discuss ospreys in further detail, includingtheir habitat, fishing habits and techniques,and the fact that they migrate long dis-tances each year. Have students workindividually or in small groups to design andcreate an osprey based on what they knowabout its lifestyle, by drawing or sculpting it(or by another artistic technique), with atleast five specific adaptations that wouldenable it to function well in the niche itoccupies.

6. In addition to each artistic creation haveeach group write a list of the adaptations ithas selected, the reasons for the adapta-tions and the advantages they provide.

7. Have groups share their creations with theclass, describing the specific adaptationsand their advantages.

8. Provide as a handout or on the board a listof osprey adaptations and share photo-graphs or illustrations that show the adap-tations that have evolved and how theymake ospreys uniquely suited to their nicheas “fish hawks.” Students can compare theircreations with what has evolved naturally.

Extensions1. Write a story from the perspective of an

osprey. Students can describe what they seeand feel as an osprey perched in a large treeor hovering above the water in search offish.

2. Collect pictures of raptors, includingospreys, to develop a bulletin board showingsome of the adaptations discussed.

Ospreys have long, slightly bent,pointed wings and medium-

length, rounded tails.

Turkey vultures have long, narrowand slightly rounded wings and

long tails.

Falcons have long, pointed wingsand long tails.

Buteos are high-soaring hawkswith long, broad wings that hunt

during the daytime.

Eagles are a kind of large buteo-like hawk withwingspans of 1.8 - 2.5 meters (6 to 8’).

Accipiters have short, roundedwings and long tails.


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Osprey AdaptationsTalons designed for catching and grasping slippery, wiggling fish

• very long and sharp

• can snap shut in 2/100 second

• base of footpads and toes covered with short, sharp spines

• flexible outer toe that can reverseposition, so there are two toes forward and two back

Legs for reaching well-down into the water• long

• few feathers

Beaks adapted for pulling and tearing loose bites of fish• strong and hooked

• cutting edge

Plumage needs to be waterproof and arranged to enable flight at all times

• dense and oily

• preen gland

• molt flight feathers gradually and in successive waves

Wings for strong flight for carrying fish out of the water and long migrations• powerful muscles

• slightly bent shape

• long

Raptor AdaptationsRaptor Characteristic Survival Advantage

• strong, hooked bill tearing flesh

• powerful talons grasping prey

• small, unfeathered head keeping clean while eating carrion

• broad, long wings soaring, searching for food

• long, narrow, pointed wings skillful maneuvering and speed

• short, rounded wings maneuvering through trees

• short flight muscles long distance flying

• notched bill (tomial tooth) shearing neck of vertebrate prey

• soft fluffy feathers muffling sound

• large eyes good vision at night

• facial disks keen hearing


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Humans and wildlife are intricately con-nected to each other and to the earth,

which we all share. Our ability to manipulatethe environment to seemingly better suit ourneeds, and the close connection human actionshave with wildlife populations, presents uswith a great responsibility and unique chal-lenge. The earth’s ecosystems are so intri-cately woven and delicately balanced that evenseemingly small changes or disruptions canhave long-reaching, devastating effects.

The effect of human actions on wildlifebecame clearly evident in the 1950s and 1960swhen populations of ospreys and other raptors,including eagles, brown pelicans and peregrinefalcons, in the United States dramaticallyplummeted to nearly unrecoverable low levels.Scientists linked the population declines to thewidespread use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltri-chloroethane) as a pesticide. To reduce insectdamage and enhance productivity, agriculturalcrops across the country were sprayed withDDT. Water runoff from snowmelt, rain andirrigation carried the deadly chemical intowater systems where fish and other aquaticorganisms were poisoned. Also, contaminatedinsects and plants were eaten by fish andsmall birds, thus passing the poison directly tothem. Those fish and birds were then eaten byraptors, which accumulated the chemical intheir bodies.

The accumulation of chemicals in organ-isms in increasingly higher concentrations atsuccessive trophic levels, or higher steps in afood chain, is called biomagnification. Scien-tists found that DDT accumulates in the fattytissues of birds, mammals and fish and that itpasses through food chains. In other words, inthe case of ospreys, the birds fed on largequantities of fish, which had eaten insects

Poisoned!

contaminated with DDT. Each fish had eatenmany contaminated insects, thereby accumu-lating the DDT from each of those insects.Then, although each fish may not have had ahigh level of the chemical in its body, ospreysate many of them. The amount of DDT eachosprey accumulated was the result of it beingmagnified by the number of fish it ate.

Researchers discovered that high concen-trations of DDT caused liver changes in thebirds, which led to a decline in certain hor-monal levels in females. Although the birds didnot usually appear affected, the amount ofcalcium the females could use to produce eggswas reduced, resulting in thin eggshells. Whenthe adults tried to incubate the eggs, theybroke. It was also found in some cases, thatDDT seemed to change the behavior of theparents, causing them to abandon their young.

Considering the role DDT played on thedemise of raptor populations and the potentialthreat it posed to the health of humans, its usewas banned in the United States in 1972. Itdoes, however, continue to be manufactured inthis country to be sold and used in othercountries, such as those in Central and SouthAmerica, where many ospreys and otherraptors migrate and spend the first two orthree years of their lives. In addition, evenafter the application of DDT is stopped, it cancontinue to be present in the environment fordecades. Just because DDT is no longer usedhere, does not mean ospreys and other raptorsare free of its effects.


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(adapted from Hazardous Links, Possible Solutions:Project WILD: © Council for Environmental Education2000)

Duration: 2 - 30-45 minute classes, withresearch time between

Materials: White and colored drinking straws;pipe cleaners; poker chips; approximatelyone-inch squares of construction paper; ormulti-colored, dry dog food - about thirtypieces per student, two-thirds white or plainand one-third colored; one bag per mayfly(approximately 18 - 20)

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b; socialstudies: 2, 4, 14; language arts: 5, 6

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) give examples

of ways in which pesticides enter food chains;2) describe possible consequences of pesti-cides entering food chains; and 3) explain theprocess of biomagnification in a food chain

MethodStudents become ospreys, trout and

mayflies in a physical activity.

BackgroundPesticides are chemicals, often synthetic,

inorganic compounds, developed to controlorganisms that have been identified as pestsunder some conditions. Herbicides are pesti-cides that control unwanted plants; andinsecticides are pesticides that control un-wanted insects. Pesticides frequently haveunintended affects that extend well-beyond thetarget area. Not only can they poison non-target organisms, they can persist in the

Ospreys and the Deadly Linkenvironment long after their application hasended, continuing to affect the food and watersupplies of humans and wildlife for manyyears. In addition, biomagnification, which isthe accumulation of chemicals in organisms inincreasingly higher concentrations at succes-sively higher trophic levels, can play a serious,unanticipated role. It results in the storage ofthe chemicals in the fatty tissue of organismshigh in the food chain at much higher concen-trations than would normally be found.

Public pressure is forcing changes in theapplication and availability of pesticides. Forexample, there is growing interest in inte-grated pest management. This agriculturalapproach considers the entire farm and gardenecosystem. Integrated pest management caninclude using a pest’s predator as well as otherbiological controls to reduce crop damage.Integrated pest management also can includethe selective use of naturally occurring andsynthetic pesticides, as well as habitat ma-nipulation. One concern with this approach isthe possible introduction of non-native species.

Procedure1. Discuss the term “food chain” with students.

(Food chain is a sequence or “chain” ofliving things in a community, based on onemember of the community eating anotherand so forth. An example is mayflies eatmicroscopic plants and animals that live inthe water, trout eat mayflies, and ospreyseat trout.)

2. Divide the group into three teams. In a classof 26 students, there would be two“ospreys,” six “trout” and 18 “mayflies.” Theactivity works best with approximatelythree times as many trout as ospreys andthree times as many mayflies as trout.


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Optional: Have mayflies, trout and ospreyslabeled so they can be identified easily. Forexample, a green cloth flag tied around an armfor mayflies, red bandanas for trout and browncloth flags for ospreys.

3. Distribute a small paper bag or other smallcontainer to each “mayfly.” The container isto represent the “stomach” of the animal.

4. With the students’ eyes closed, or otherwisenot watching where the food is placed,distribute the white and colored straws, orwhatever material is used, around in a largeopen space. Outside on a playing field if it isnot windy or on a gymnasium floor willwork; a classroom also will work if chairsand tables or desks can be moved.

5. Give students the following instructions: themayflies are the first to go looking for food.The trout and ospreys are to sit quietly onthe sidelines watching the mayflies; afterall, the trout and ospreys are predators andare watching their prey. At a given signal,the mayflies are allowed to enter the area tocollect as many food tokens as they can,placing the food tokens in their stomachs(the bags or other containers). The mayflieshave to move quickly to gather food. At theend of 30 seconds, the mayflies are to stopcollecting food tokens.

6. Next, allow the trout to hunt the mayflies.The ospreys are still on the sidelines quietlywatching the activity. The amount of timeavailable to the trout to hunt mayfliesshould take into account the size area inwhich you are working. In a classroom, 15seconds may be enough time; on a largeplaying field, 60 seconds may be better.Each trout should have time to catch one ormore mayflies. Any mayfly tagged or caughtby the trout must give its bag or container

of food to the trout and then sit on thesidelines.

7. Next, allow from 15 to 60 seconds orwhatever set time, for the ospreys to huntthe trout. The same rules follow. Any troutstill alive may hunt for mayflies. If anosprey catches a trout, the osprey gets thefood bag and the trout goes to the sidelines.At the end of the designated time period,ask all the students to come together in acircle, bringing whatever food bags theyhave with them.

8. Ask students who have been consumed toidentify what animal they are and whatanimal ate them. If they are wearing labelsthis will be obvious. Next, ask any animalsstill alive to empty their food bags out ontothe floor or on a piece of paper where theycan count the number of food pieces theyhave. They would count the total number ofwhite food pieces and total number of multi-colored food pieces they have in their foodsacks. List any mayflies and the totalnumber of white and multi-colored foodpieces each has; list the number of trout leftand the number of white and multi-coloredpieces each has; and finally list the ospreysand the number of white and multi-coloredfood pieces each has.

9. Inform students that there is somethingcalled a “pesticide” in the environment. Thispesticide was sprayed onto sluggish waterareas to reduce the population of mosqui-toes that annually plagued visitors in anearby vacation resort. If the mosquitoesare really abundant then visitors can’t enjoythe beach and would cut their vacationsshort, thereby reducing the income made bythe resort owners and others whose work isassociated with the local tourist industry.


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The pesticide used accumulates infood chains and can stay in theenvironment a long time. As mayfliesfrequent the same areas as mosquitoes theycome in contact with the pesticide. In thisactivity, all of the multi-colored food piecesrepresent the pesticide. All of the mayfliesthat were not eaten by trout may now beconsidered dead, if they have anymulti-colored pieces in their foodsupply. Any trout for which half ormore of their food supply was multi-colored pieces also would be considereddead from chemical side effects. The oneosprey with the highest number of multi-colored food pieces will not die; however, ithas accumulated so much of the pesticide inits body that the egg shells produced by itand its mate during the next nesting seasonwill be so thin that the eggs will not hatchsuccessfully. The other ospreys are notvisibly affected at this time.

10. Talk with students about what they justexperienced in the activity. Ask them fortheir observations about how the food chainseems to work and how toxic substancescan enter the food chain with a variety ofresults. Introduce the termbiomagnification and discuss how itcan result in the accumulation ofchemicals in species higher in thefood chain. Students may beable to give examples beyondthose of the mayfly-trout-osprey food chainaffected by thepesticide in thisactivity.

11. Divide theclass into two,four or more

groups. Ask one or two groups of studentsto research other chemicals, such astributyltin (TBT), polychlorinated biphenyls

(PCBs), or dieldrin, that havedemonstrated the ability to persistand accumulate through foodchains. What are the effects of

these chemicals on organisms? Have othergroups research ospreys and other raptors,such as peregrine falcons, brown pelicansand bald eagles, that experienced dramaticpopulation declines due to the widespreaduse of DDT as a pesticide in the UnitedStates. Have other groups research alterna-tive forms of pest control, such as inte-grated pest management, habitat manipula-

tion, sprays of non-toxic sub-stances, and the release of

sterile male insects of the“pest” species. Encourage

all groups to present theirfindings in class.

DDT ac

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1 Osprey eats... 10 fish eat... 100 insects (some sprayed) eat...1000 DDT contaminated plants


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(adapted from: What’s is the Water?: Project WILDAquatic ©Council for Environmental Education 2000)

Duration: 30 - 45 minutes

Materials: Nine different colors of construc-tion paper (two sheets each); writing orgraph paper; scotch tape or glue; paperpunch; Pollutant Information Sheets (onefor each student); ¼ teaspoon measure

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 2a, 3b, 4c; math: 5a;social studies: 12, 14

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) identify major

sources of aquatic pollution; 2) make infer-ences about the potential effects of a variety ofaquatic pollutants on wildlife and wildlifehabitats and 3) describe how contaminationenters an aquatic food chain

MethodsStudents analyze the pollution found in a

hypothetical river; then graph the quantities ofpollutants and make recommendations aboutactions that could be taken to improve thehabitat.

BackgroundWaterways such as rivers, lakes and

estuaries are important to humans and wildlifealike. Waterways are used for drinking water,transportation, recreation and as habitat formany wildlife species. Approximately 40percent of our nation’s rivers, lakes andestuaries are not fishable, swimmable orpotable because of pollution (Source: AmericanRivers). Pollutants enter waterways fromeither point or non-point sources. Point

Is There Something in the Water?sources are clearly defined, localized inputssuch as industrial pipes and plants, sewersystems and oil spills. Federal and stategovernments monitor and regulate pollutionfrom point sources. Unfortunately, non-pointsources are harder to detect and control, sothey are therefore the major source of waterquality problems. Non-point sources areindistinct inputs that do not have a clearlydefined source, such as runoff of petroleumproducts from roadways or pesticides fromfarmlands.

Non-point source pollution occurs whenrainfall, snowmelt or irrigation runs over landor through the ground, picks up pollutants anddeposits them into surface water or introducesthem into ground water. Agriculture, forestry,grazing, septic systems, recreational boating,urban runoff, construction, physical change tostream channels and habitat degradation areall potential sources of non-point sourcepollution. Agriculture is the leading contribu-tor to water quality impairments, degrading 60percent of the nation’s rivers and lakes. Runofffrom urban areas is the largest source of waterquality impairments to the nation’s estuaries(source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)).

The most common non-point sourcepollutants are sediments and nutrients. Thesepollutants enter waterways from agriculturalland, animal-feeding operations, constructionsites and other areas of disturbance. Othercommon pollutants are pesticides, herbicides,pathogens, oil, toxic chemicals and heavymetals. Unsafe drinking water, fish kills,destroyed habitat, beach closures and manyother severe environmental and human healthproblems result from these water pollutants.(source: EPA: Office of Water).


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Pollution can be categorized into thefollowing types.

• Chemical Pollution: The introduction oftoxic substances into an ecosystem (e.g.,acidic precipitation, contamination of watersupplies by pesticides).

• Thermal Pollution: Varying temperaturesabove or below the normal condition (e.g.,power plant turbine heated water).

• Organic Pollution: Oversupplying anecosystem with nutrients (i.e., fertilizerinflow).

• Ecological Pollution: Stresses ordinarilycreated by natural processes, such as:

1.Adding a substance that is not a naturallyoccurring substance in the ecosystem(e.g., extreme tides pour saltwater intohabitats ordinarily protected from saltwater);

2.Increasing the amount or intensity of anaturally occurring substance (e.g.,abnormal increase in sediments in runoffwater to produce silt);

3.Altering the level or concentration ofbiological or physical components of anecosystem (changing the amount ofsomething that is already there) (e.g.,introduction of aquatic plants via birddroppings, etc.).

In the definition above, chemical pollu-tion, through the introduction of toxic sub-stances, is clearly caused by humans. Organicpollution in lakes and rivers typically resultswhen chemical fertilizers used in agricultureenhance living organisms. Thermal pollution ispredominately human caused through nuclearpower plants, fuel-based electrical powerproduction and many industries. Some hydro-electric dams also produce unnaturally cooled

water with bottom discharge of water.

Surprisingly, these three forms of pollu-tion – chemical, thermal and organic - can takeplace without human intervention. Pollution,which is not a result of human activity is mostoften ecological pollution. Natural ecologicalpollution may be beneficial, harmful or have noeffect on wildlife and wildlife habitat. Ex-amples include acidic precipitation resultingfrom volcanic eruptions, runoff from landslidesand avalanches, hot springs and geyserscausing heated water to flow into lakes andstreams, and shifts in oceanic currents affect-ing water temperature and weather patterns.

ProcedureBefore the Activity

Make 100 tokens of each of the ninecolors of construction paper. The constructionpaper may be folded in quarters to speed upthe process of cutting or punching. Punch outconstruction paper tokens with a paper punch.Put all the tokens together in a container andstir them so the colors are thoroughly mixed.Make one copy of the included PollutantInformation Sheet for each student.

1. List the four major categories of pollution(chemical, thermal, organic and ecological)on the board and discuss each.

Note: Humans primarily cause the first threetypes of pollution, although there are cases inwhich natural processes can cause them.Ecological pollution is typically natural,although there are cases in which humanscause it.

2. Pass out the Pollutant Information Sheets.Review each kind of pollution with thestudents. Discuss how some of the pollut-ants can fit into more than one pollution


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type. Color-code each with a different colorof construction paper. Write a short descrip-tion of the pollution on a piece of paper ofthe color to which it is coded. You may cutthe descriptions on the Pollutant Informa-tion Sheets apart and paste the appropriateparagraphs on each of the colored sheets ofpaper. Post each sheet of colored paper withits corresponding description of the kind ofpollution it represents in a row in a conve-nient place.

3. Once all the kinds of pollution have beendiscussed and students understand thateach kind of pollution will be represented inthis activity by one color of paper, tellstudents that they are to divide into teamsof three. These will be research teams; eachteam will analyze the pollution content of ahypothetical river. Distribute the coloredpaper tokens. Pass the container with thecolored paper tokens for each research teamto measure out for themselves a heaping ¼teaspoon of the tokens. Provide each teamwith a piece of graph paper.

4. The teams must separate the colored tokensinto piles; using the color key, they shouldidentify each type of pollutant. Next, havethem count the number of each kind ofpollutant they have identified and then usegraph paper to construct a simple bar graphshowing the whole array of pollutants.Arrange the pollutants in the same order asthey are displayed in the color key that isposted in the classroom. This makes it easyto compare each team’s findings. Remindthem that each has a different river, so theirresults are not likely to be the same.

5. When the bar graphs are completed havethem compare the teams’ results. Tell themthat any quantity above two units of each

kind of pollutant is considered damaging towildlife habitat. In their hypothetical rivers,what pollutants would be likely to cause themost damage to wildlife and wildlife habi-tat? Give examples and discuss the kinds ofdamage that could be caused; include theexample of how osprey populations wereaffected by DDT contamination.

Optional: Invite students to match thepollutants with the four categories ofpollution listed at the beginning of theactivity. Some seem to fit rather easily;others fit in more than one category, de-pending on the source of the pollution. Forexample, is the thermal pollution human ornaturally caused (power plant water effluentor thermal hot springs)?

6. What could be potential affects of thepollution found in each of the hypotheticalrivers to ospreys that might frequent thoseareas?

Extensions1. Is DDT still being used, and where? Find

out the current status of its use in theUnited States and other parts of the world.If used in other parts of the world, are U.S.populations of wildlife safe from its effects?Why? (migration)

2. List five things you can do to reduce thenumber of pollutants you add to the environ-ment.

3. Conduct a field trip to a local waterway andattempt to identify what, if any, kinds ofpollution are affecting it.

4. Get information about current national andstate laws protecting water quality in theUnited States. Write a short history of theU.S. Clean Water Act.


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Pollutant Information SheetSediments

Particles of soils, sand, silt, clay and minerals wash from land and paved areas into creeks and tributaries. Inlarge, unnatural quantities, these natural materials can be considered pollutants. Construction projects oftencontribute large amounts of sediment. Certain logging practices affect sediments in runoff. Sediments may fillstream channels and harbors that later require dredging. Sediments suffocate fish and shellfish populations bycovering fish nests and clogging the gills of bottom fish and shellfish.

Petroleum Products

Oil and other petroleum products such as gasoline and kerosene can find their way into water from ships, oil-drilling rigs, oil refineries, automobile service stations and streets. Oil spills kill aquatic life, including fish, birds,shellfish and vegetation. Birds are unable to fly when oil loads their feathers; and shellfish and small fish arepoisoned. If oil washed on the beach, it requires much labor to clean up. Fuel oil, gasoline and kerosene may leakinto ground water through damaged underground storage tanks.

Human and Animal Waste

Human wastes that are released to natural water bodies without being treated at a waste treatment plant maycontain harmful bacteria and viruses. Typhoid fever, polio, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, flu and common cold germsare examples of diseases caused by bacteria and viruses in contaminated water. The main source of this problem issewage getting into the water. People can come into contact with these microorganisms by drinking the pollutedwater or through swimming, fishing or eating shellfish living in polluted waters. Often unexpected flooding ofbarnyards or stock pens can suddenly increase the toxic effects of a fertilizer and create damage by increasingnutrients.

Organic Waste

Domestic sewage treatment plants, food-processing plants, paper mills and leather tanneries release organicwastes that bacteria consume. If too much waste is released, bacterial populations increase and use up oxygen inthe water. Fish die if too much oxygen is consumed by decomposing organic matter.

Inorganic Chemicals

Inorganic chemicals and mineral substances, solid matter and metal salts commonly dissolve in water. Theyoften come from mining and manufacturing industries, oil field operations, agriculture and natural sources. Thesechemicals interfere with natural stream purification and destroy fish and other aquatic life. They also corrodeexpensive water treatment equipment and increase the cost of boat maintenance.

Detergents and Fertilizers

Many of these substances are toxic to fish and harmful to humans. They cause taste and odor problems andoften cannot be treated effectively. Some are very poisonous in low concentrations. The major source of pollutionfrom agriculture comes from surplus fertilizers in the runoff. Fertilizers contain nitrogen and phosphorous that cancause large amounts of algae to grow and cover the water’s surface. The algae die after they have used all thenutrients and sink to the bottom where bacteria feed on them. Bacterial populations increase and use up most ofthe oxygen in the water. Many aquatic animals die due to the loss of free oxygen. This process is called eutrophica-tion.

Heated or Cooled Water

Heat reduces the ability of water to dissolve oxygen. Electric power plants use large quantities of water in theirsteam turbines. The heated water is often returned to streams, lagoons or reservoirs. With less oxygen in the water,fish and other aquatic life can be harmed. Water temperatures that are much lower than normal can also causehabitat damage. Dams built across rivers and streams are often opened to release water downstream. When wateris released from the bottom of a deep dam, it is much colder than the water it flows into.

Acidic Precipitation

Aquatic animals and plants are adjusted to survive in a narrow range of pH levels. When water becomes tooacidic, due to inorganic chemical pollution or from acidic rain, fish and other organisms die.

PInsecticides, Herbicides and Fungicides

Chemicals that are designed to kill or limit the growth of life forms are a common form of pollution. Thispollution results from the attempts to limit negative effects of undesirable species on agricultural crop production.Irrigation, groundwater flow and natural runoff bring these toxic substances to rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.


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An animal’s habitat is the area or neighborhood in which it lives that provides every-

thing that animal needs to survive. Just as weneed food, water, shelter and space in asuitable arrangement to survive, so do allanimals. Habitat includes all the land ananimal needs to gather food, hunt, rest,find a mate and raise a family. Habitatneeds may vary seasonally as survivalrequirements for many species change.For example, white-tailed deer in thenortheast require hardwood forests,with mast (nut) producing trees to meet theirnutritional needs; yet in winter, when food islimited or unavailable, they require densestands of softwoods that protect them fromsevere cold, wind and deep snow, enabling theconservation of stored energy.

Each habitat can support or meet theneeds of only a specific number of individualsof each species that lives within it. There maybe only so much of a necessary food, a limitednumber of appropriate nest or den sites, or alimited amount of clean water that meets theneeds of a certain number of individuals. Whenthat number is reached the habitat is consid-ered to be at its carrying capacity for thatspecies. If the population continues to growsome members of the species will die or beforced to leave the area to meet all theirsurvival needs.

There are a variety of factors that impactthe carrying capacity for different species ineach habitat. They include disease, predator/prey relationships, flooding, heavy snows,early freezes and environmental pollution.Wildlife populations normally rise and fall,often in relatively predictable cycles based onthe variety of factors at play. The factors thatlimit the growth of a population over time arecalled limiting factors. It is the limiting factors

that limit the growth of a population and keepit from extending beyond a certain level.Limiting factors are related to the availabilityof the critical habitat components of food,water, shelter and space.

What type of habitat is good for ospreys?

As fish comprise virtually all an osprey’sdiet, an area near clean, slow-moving waterwith a healthy population of shallow-water fishis essential. Ospreys also need large-crownedtrees on which to build their nests that may beas wide as two meters. Dead trees in the wateror on small islands are especially desirable fornests as predator access to eggs and young islimited. With steadily increasing developmentin New Hampshire and the desirability ofhomes near lakes and rivers, many of the largetrees and those standing dead trees on riverand lake shores have been cut to make way fornew homes and other development.

How Many Ospreys Can Live Here?


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(adapted from Oh Deer!; Project WILD © Council forEnvironmental Education 2000)


Materials: An area either indoors or outdoorsthat is large enough for students to run,such as a playing field or gym; chalkboardor flip chart; writing materials

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 3a, 3b; math: 7a; socialstudies: 14

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) identify and

describe food, water and shelter as threeessential components of habitat; 2) definelimiting factors and give an example; 3) definecarrying capacity in terms of wildlife popula-tions; and 4) recognize that some fluctuationsin wildlife populations are natural as ecologi-cal systems undergo constant change.

MethodStudents become “ospreys” and compo-

nents of habitat in a highly involving physicalactivity.

BackgroundA variety of factors affect the ability of

wildlife to successfully reproduce and tomaintain their populations over time. Disease,predator/prey relationships, varying impacts ofweather conditions from season to season(e.g., early freezing, high winds, flooding,drought), accidents, environmental pollutionand habitat destruction and degradation areamong these factors.

Some naturally-caused as well as cultur-

ally-induced limiting factors serve to protectwildlife populations from reproducing innumbers greater than their habitat can sup-port. An excess of such limiting factors,however, leads to threatening, endangeringand eliminating whole species of animals.When an equilibrium is reached by the avail-ability of habitat components and the numberof animals in a given area, the habitat is saidto be at its carrying capacity. It can be ex-pressed as a number indicating the populationof any given animal a given area can support.Carrying capacity varies throughout the year.The population number varies from year toyear, depending on the limiting factors.

The most fundamental of life’s necessitiesfor any animal are food, water, shelter andspace in a suitable arrangement. Without theseessential components, animals cannot survive.

This activity is designed for students to learnthat:

• Good habitat is the key to wildlife survival;

• A population will continue to increase insize until some limiting factors are imposed;

• Limiting factors contribute to fluctuations inwildlife populations; and

• Nature is never in “balance,” but is con-stantly changing.

Wildlife populations are not static. Theycontinuously fluctuate in response to a varietyof stimulating and limiting factors. We tend tospeak of limiting factors as applying to asingle species, although one factor may affectmany species. Natural limiting factors, orthose modeled after factors in natural systems,tend to maintain populations of species atlevels within predictable ranges. This kind of“balance in nature” is not static, but is morelike a teeter-totter than a balance. Some

Wanted: Prime Habitat


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species fluctuate or cycle annually. Quail, forexample, may start with a population of 100pairs in early spring; grow to a population of1200 birds by late spring; and decline slowly toa winter population of 100 pairs again. Thiscycle appears to be almost totally controlled bythe habitat components of food, water, shelterand space, which are also limiting factors.Habitat components are the most fundamentaland thereby the most critical factors in mostnatural settings.

The major purpose of this activity is forstudents to understand the importance ofsuitable habitat as well as factors that mayaffect wildlife populations in constantlychanging ecosystems. In addition, it will serveto introduce ospreys as a population that hasthe same fundamental needs as all wildlife,and that their populations, like those of otherwildlife, are in a constant state of flux.

Procedure1. Begin by telling students that they are about

to participate in an activity that emphasizesthe most essential things that animals needin order to survive. Review the essentialcomponents of habitat with students: food,water, shelter and space in a suitablearrangement. This activity emphasizes threeof those habitat components – food, waterand shelter – but students should not forgetthe importance of the animals havingsufficient space in which to live, and that allthe components have to be in a suitablearrangement or the animals will die.

2. Ask students to count off by fours. Have allthe ones go to one area; all twos, threes andfours go together to another area. Mark twoparallel lines on the ground or floor ten totwenty yards apart. Have the ones line up

behind one line; the rest of the students lineup behind the other line.

3. The ones become “ospreys.” All ospreysneed good habitat in order to survive. Askstudents what the essential components ofhabitat are again: food, water, shelter andspace in a suitable arrangement. For thepurposes of this activity, we will assumethat the ospreys have enough space inwhich to live. We are emphasizing food,water and shelter (specifically appropriatenest sites). (Note: We will also assume thatthe habitat component of water must be free ofDDT, so it will not pass through the food chainand collect in the ospreys causing reproductivefailure.) The ospreys (the ones) need to findfood, water and shelter in order to survive.When an osprey is looking for food, itshould clamp its hands over its stomach.When it is looking for water, it puts itshands over its mouth. When it is looking forshelter, it holds its hands together over itshead. An osprey can choose to look for anyone of its needs during each round orsegment of the activity; an osprey cannot,however, change what it is looking for; e.g.,when it sees what is available, during thatround. It can change what it is looking for inthe next round, if it survives.

4. The twos, threes and fours are food, waterand shelter components of habitat. Eachstudent gets to choose at the beginning ofeach round which component he/she will beduring that round. Students depict whichcomponent they are in the same way theospreys show what they are looking for;that is, hands on stomach for food, etc.

5. The activity starts with all players lined upalong their respective lines (ospreys on oneside; habitat components on the other side)


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– and with their backs to the students at theother line.

6. The teacher begins the first round by askingstudents to make their signs. Each ospreydecides what it is looking for, while eachhabitat component decides what it is. Givestudents a few moments to get their handsin place – over stomachs, mouths or overtheir heads. (As you look at the two lines ofstudents, you will normally see a lot ofvariety – with some students as water, somefood, some shelter. As the activity proceeds,students of the habitat may confer with eachother and all make the same sign. That’sokay, although don’t encourage it. Forexample, all the habitat students mightdecide to be shelter during a round. Thatcould represent a drought year with noavailable food or water.)

Note: If students switching symbols in themiddle of a round is a problem, you can avoidthat by having stacks of three different tokens,or pieces of colored paper, to represent food,water and shelter at both the habitat andosprey ends of the field. At the start of eachround, players choose one of the symbols beforeturning around to face the other group.

7. When students are ready, count: “One . . .two . . . three.” At the count of three, eachosprey and each habitat component turn toface the opposite group, continuing to holdtheir signs clearly.

8. When ospreys see the habitat componentthey need, they are to run or “fly” to it. Eachosprey must hold the sign of what it islooking for until getting to the habitatcomponent person with the same sign. Eachosprey that reaches its necessary habitatcomponent takes the “food,” “water” or“shelter” back to the osprey side of the field.

This is to represent the osprey’s meeting itsneeds and successfully reproducing as aresult. Any osprey that fails to find its food,water or shelter dies and becomes part ofthe habitat. That is, in the next round, theospreys that died become habitat compo-nents.

Note: When more than one osprey reaches ahabitat component, the student that gets therefirst survives. Habitat components stay in placeon their line until an osprey needs them. If noosprey needs a particular habitat componentduring a round, the habitat component juststays where it is in the habitat. The habitatperson can, however, change which componentit is from round to round.

9. The teacher keeps track of how manyospreys there are at the beginning of theactivity; and at the end of each roundrecords the number of osprey. Continue theactivity for approximately fifteen rounds.Keep the pace brisk.

10. At the end of fifteen rounds, gather thestudents together to discuss the activity.Encourage them to talk about what theyexperienced and saw. For example, they sawa small population of ospreys (seven stu-dents in a class size of 28) begin by findingmore than enough of its habitat needs. Thepopulation expanded over two or threerounds of the activity until the habitat wasdepleted and there was not enough food,clean water or nest sites/shelter for all themembers of the population. At that point,ospreys starved, became contaminated withpesticides in the food chain due to waterpollution, or they couldn’t find nest sitesthey needed to reproduce.

11. Using a flip chart pad or available chalk-board, post the data recorded during the


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activity. Thenumber of ospreysat the beginning ofthe activity and atthe end of eachround representsthe number ofospreys in a seriesof years. That is,the beginning of the activity is year oneand each round is an additional year. Thestudents will see this visual reminder ofwhat they experienced during the activ-ity: the osprey population fluctuated overa period of years. This is a naturalprocess as long as the factors that limitthe population do not become excessive,to the point where the birds cannotsuccessfully reproduce. Wildlife populationswill tend to peak, decline and rebuild, peak,

decline and rebuild –as long as there isgood habitat andsufficient numbers ofanimals to success-fully reproduce.

12. In discussion,ask students tosummarize some of

the things they learned from the activity.What do animals need to survive? What aresome of the “limiting factors” that affecttheir survival? How do the limiting factorsaffect the carrying capacity of the habitat?Are wildlife populations static, or do theytend to fluctuate, as part of an overall“balance of nature?” Is nature ever really in“balance” or are ecological systems in-volved in a process of constant change?


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(adapted from Quick Frozen Critters, Project WILD ©Council for Environmental Education 2000)


Materials: Food tokens (pieces of cardboard),enough for three per student; gym vests orother labeling devices to mark predators;four or five hula hoops to serve as “cover,”markers; pencil and paper to record numberof captures, if desired

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 3a, 3b

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) discuss

predator/prey relationships, including adapta-tions; 2) describe the importance of adapta-tions in predator/prey relationships; and 3)recognize that limiting factors – includingpredator/prey relationships – affect wildlifepopulations.

MethodStudents play an active version of

“freeze tag.”

BackgroundNote: this activity is best done after one or

more that introduces the concepts of adaptationsand limiting factors.

There are many influences in the lifehistory of any animal. When disease, climate,pollution, accidents or shortages of food, forexample, exceeds the limits of tolerance ofthat animal, it becomes a limiting factor. Itthen drastically affects the well-being of thatanimal. Predators, animals that kill and eatother animals for food, are limiting factors for

prey. Prey, those animals that are killed forfood by other animals, are limiting factors forpredators. Animals display a variety of behav-iors in predator/prey relationships that arereferred to as survival adaptations.

Some prey behaviors are signaling toothers, flight, posturing a fighting position,scrambling for cover and even “freezing” onthe spot to escape detection or capture bypredators. The kind of behavior exhibitedpartly depends on how close the predator iswhen detected by the prey. Each animal has athreshold for threat levels. If a predator is farenough away for the prey to feel some safety,the prey may signal to others that a predator isnear. If the predator comes closer the prey maytry to swim or run away. If the predator is tooclose to make fleeing feasible, the prey mayattempt to scurry or swim to a hiding place. Ifthe predator is so close that none of thesealternatives is available, the prey may freeze inplace. The closer the predator comes to theprey animal, the more likely it is that the preywill “freeze” in place. This “freezing” occurs asa kind of psychological shock. Shelter orcamouflage may also make them invisible tothe predator when they freeze. Flounder, forexample, are flat fish that dwell on the bottomsubstrate. Their coloration, which is verysimilar to that of the substrate, enables themto be virtually invisible when staying motion-less on the bottom. Too often people that come

Fast Frozen Flounders


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upon animals quickly and see them immobileinfer that the animals are unafraid when, inreality, the animals are “frozen”, or, as theadage goes, “frozen stiff.”

The major purpose of this activity is forstudents to recognize the importance ofadaptations to both predators and prey and togain insight into limiting factors affectingwildlife populations.

Procedure1. Identify students as being either ospreys as

predators, or flounder as prey, for a versionof “freeze tag” – with approximately onepredator per every four to six prey.

2. Using a gymnasium or playing field, identifyone end of the field as the “food source” andthe other end as the “shelter.”

3. Four to five hula hoops are placed on theopen area between the “shelter” and the“food.” These represent additional shelter or“cover” for the prey and can be randomlydistributed on the field. If hula hoops arenot available, string might be used, or chalkon asphalt.

4. Food tokens are placed in the “food source”zone on the ground. Allow three food tokensfor each prey animal.

5. Predators (ospreys) should be clearlyidentified. Gym vests or safety patrol vestsmay be available.

6. Use a whistle or some other prearrangedsignal to start each round. When a roundbegins, flounders start from their “shelter.”The task of the flounders is to move fromthe primary shelter to the food source,collecting one food token each trip andreturning to the primary shelter. To survive,flounders have to obtain three food tokens.

Their travel is hazardous, however. Theyneed to be alert to possible predators. Ifthey spot an osprey, they can use variousappropriate prey behaviors, includingwarning other prey that a predator is near.Flounders have two ways to prevent them-selves from being caught by ospreys: theymay “freeze” anytime an osprey is withinfive feet of them; or they may “swim” tocover, with at least one foot within one ofthe hula hoops. Frozen flounders may blink,but otherwise should be basically stillwithout talking.

7. Predators (ospreys) start the activityanywhere in the open area between ends ofthe field and thus, are randomly distributedbetween the prey’s food and primary shelter.Predators attempt to capture prey (flounder)to survive, tagging only moving, not frozen,prey.

Optional: Flounders can have bandanas intheir pockets that ospreys have to captureto represent the successful predation.Ospreys must capture two flounders each inorder to survive. Captured flounders aretaken to the sidelines by the ospreys whocaptured them.

Note: Establish a ground rule for studentbehavior: Behave in ways that are not harmfulto other students, even when simulatingpredator behavior; e.g., no full tackles.

8. A time limit of five to seven minutes issuggested for each round of the game.Captured flounders on the sidelines will getrestless if rounds are much longer. Remindflounders they can remain frozen for as longas they like, but if they do not have enoughfood at the end of the activity they willstarve to death. In nature an animal mustbalance the need to find food with the


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sometimes, conflicting need for safety.

9. Play four rounds, allowing each student tobe both prey (flounder) and predator(osprey).

10. Discuss with students the ways theyescaped capture when they were flounders.Which ways were easiest? Which were mosteffective? What means did they use asospreys to capture prey? Which ways werebest? What did the predators do in responseto a flounder that “froze?” In what ways areadaptations important to both predator andprey? Ask students to summarize what theylearned about predator/prey relationships.How do predator/prey relationships serve asnatural limiting factors affecting wildlife?

VariationConduct the activity for three or four

rounds, recording the number of captures eachplaying period. Have students who are cap-

tured become ospreys, and each osprey notgetting enough food become a flounder in thesucceeding round. This quickly leads to theconcept of dynamic balance as prey andpredator populations fluctuate in response toeach other.

ExtensionDivide students into small groups and

have each group select either ospreys, or oneof five common prey species of ospreys,including flounder, yellow perch, herring,sunfish and menhaden. Have each groupresearch their selected species and prepare awritten report, poster, skit, or puppet show toshare their findings with the rest of the class.Information about habitat needs, physical andbehavioral adaptations that enhance survivalas prey or predator, and identification of atleast three limiting factors that could affectthat species population.


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Ospreys, like most other hawks and falconsof the north temperate latitudes, migrate

south for the winter. Although there are manyunanswered questions about osprey migration,the reason they head south is not one of them.One need only to think about what they eatand what happens to most water bodies in thewinter to figure it out. Not all water bodiesfreeze, though. Many rivers and coastal watersstay relatively free of ice. Why, instead ofmigrating thousands of miles each year don’tospreys congregate in those open water areas?As fall temperatures drop, cold-blooded fishmove from the surface waters and shallows togreater depths where the temperatures remainabove freezing and are more constant. The movemakes them inaccessible to ospreys. Even iffish were accessible, frequent fall and winterstorms and fewer hours of light each day wouldseriously limit the amount of time ospreyscould fish at a time of year when more food isrequired, just to maintain their body temperature.

For ospreys in north temperate regions,which include most of the ospreys breeding inCanada and the northern United States,migration begins in late summer. Adultsgenerally leave first, while the newly fledgedyoung may linger a few weeks longer on thebreeding grounds, a strategy which buys themadditional time in which to strengthen andimprove flying and foraging techniques. Asfish are still abundant when ospreys start tohead south, it is believed that the decreasinglength of day stimulates hormonal changesthat trigger migration.

Most of the information about whereospreys winter and the routes they take to getthere comes from recovered banded ospreys.North American ospreys generally winter inthe tropics of southern Central America andnorthern South America. The breeding popula-tions of ospreys found at different latitudes inNorth America tend to stay separated on the

wintering grounds, although there is someoverlap. Most of the ospreys that nest alongthe Atlantic seaboard tend to winter in easternBrazil, while those from the west coast tend towinter on the west coast of Central America.Ospreys tend to follow mountain ranges or theAtlantic seaboard south, but then fly directlyacross large bodies of water, without flyingaround them or sticking to island chains asmost other diurnal bird of prey do. Most ospreysarrive at their wintering grounds by lateNovember. Winter habitat includes lushrainforest ecosystems, coastal mangrove forests,estuaries and shallow river mouths. The springmigration usually begins in late February,follows the same route north that was followedsouth, and is much speedier than the fallmigration. There is an urgency to arrive early,as early nesters have greater success. Mi-grants return to the same nesting territoriesand nest sites they occupied the year before.

Migration is not the quick and easyalternative to wintering in the north as itmight seem. There are many hazards associ-ated with flying thousands of miles, overunfamiliar territory, through many differentcountries, and finally arriving in a new terri-tory as the new guy on the block. Migrantsface the perils of flying in bad weather, intopower lines, and near busy metropolitanairports. They must fish in unfamiliar watersduring their journeys and may encounter avariety of pollutants along the way. AlthoughDDT has not been used as a pesticide in thiscountry since 1972, it is still used in Centraland South America. In many of the countriesospreys migrate through and where theywinter, hunting birds of prey is legal. Habitatdestruction is occurring rapidly in therainforests of Central and South Americawhere ospreys winter, and in the United Statesand other countries in areas used for restingand feeding during migration.

All Aboard for Points South


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(adapted from: Project WILD Aquatic © Council forEnvironmental Education 2000)

Duration: 1 - 45 minute class

Materials: Large playing field or gymnasium;two bases (paper plates or carpet squares,for example) for every two or three students

New Hampshire Curriculum Frameworkssupported: science: 3a, 3b; social studies:4, 14

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) list limiting

factors affecting habitats and populations ofmigrating ospreys; 2) predict the effects ofsuch limiting factors; 3) describe the effects ofhabitat loss and degradation on populations ofmigrating ospreys; and 4) make inferencesabout the importance of suitable habitat formigrating ospreys.

MethodStudents portray migrating ospreys

traveling between nesting habitats and winter-ing grounds.

BackgroundBirds that migrate depend not just on

having one suitable habitat, but two and oftenthree habitats. For example, some birds nestand raise their young in the northern limits oftheir ranges. The same birds may also requiresuitable habitats in the southern limits of theirrange to live during winter. Because migratingbirds, including ospreys, travel hundreds orthousands of miles between nesting andwintering grounds, resting and feeding sites(known as stopovers) are crucial.

Migration HeadacheA variety of remarkable migrating shore-

birds, waterfowl and ospreys inhabit the skiesand waters of the United States. Many migrat-ing birds - ducks, cranes, herons, rails, terns,plovers and ospreys, for example – requirewetlands in their breeding, stopover andwintering grounds. Without wetlands, dozensof species of water birds face loss of necessaryhabitat.

During the last 150 years water birdpopulations have been threatened by thealteration of habitats and direct mortality ofbirds. Numerous populations of water birdshave declined, some significantly. The disap-pearance and degradation of wetlands aremajor threats to the survival of migratorywater birds. Destruction of wetland habitatsreduces the quantity of suitable nesting,feeding and resting areas. Alteration of habi-tats often reduces the quality of habitats,making them unsuitable for water birds.Wetland habitats, usually found in low, fertileplains along watercourses, were historicallyprized for conversion to farmland and settle-ments. Agriculture and development, bothresidential and industrial, have reduced thenumber and quality of natural wetlands.

Direct mortality of water birds occurs invarious ways. The migration routes of NorthAmerican water birds are well known. Beforethe passage of regulations regarding thehunting of water birds, market hunters of thenineteenth and very early twentieth centuriesdecimated the flocks by taking advantage ofthe vast numbers of water birds that concen-trated at strategic points along these routes.Pollution, through pesticide use for example,has also taken a toll. The birds ingest the poisonsthrough the food chain, sometimes with lethaleffects. In some cases, pesticides also kill thebirds’ food, reducing their food supply.


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Most international, federal, state andprivate groups recognize the importance ofwetland habitats to wildlife preservation. Inthe early 1900s several laws and treaties wereenacted and signed that regulated the huntingof water birds, as well as protecting thehabitat on which they depended. Laws thatconserve and enhance wetland habitats haveslowed the alteration of these habitats. TheClean Water Act of 1977 and the Farm Bill of1985 are two major pieces of such legislation.In addition, techniques have been developed tobuild new wetlands as well as enhance thequality of existing wetlands. The U.S. Fish andWildlife Service (USFWS) has principal legalresponsibility in the United States for manag-ing migratory wildlife at the federal level.State wildlife agencies share some responsi-bilities with the USFWS in conserving migra-tory water birds.

Natural occurrences and human manage-ment efforts during the 1990s have producedmixed results. The North American WaterfowlManagement Plan, coordinated by the USFWS,has worked through private/public partner-ships to conserve and enhance waterfowlhabitat in Canada and the United States. Thiseffort, aided by several years of plentiful rainand snow, has enabled populations of manyspecies of waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans)to rebound from near record lows in the 1980sand early 1990s to near historic high numbers.On the other hand, shore birds like plovers,terns and the red knot continue to sufferlosses because of habitat loss and alterationalong coastal regions.

In this activity each student (assuming aclass of 30) represents hundreds of ospreys.Thus, occasional losses to predation and otherevents of relatively minor magnitude duringthe course of migration are not emphasized in

the simulation. The major purpose of thisactivity is for students to dynamically experi-ence some of the important factors that affecthabitat quality and the associated survival ofmigratory osprey populations.

Procedure1. Select a large playing area about 70 feet in

length. Place an equal number of bases inthree areas on the playing field as shownbelow:

Choose the number of bases so there is onebase for each two or three students at eachof the three areas of the field. Designate oneof the end areas the “wintering habitat,” theother end, the “nesting habitat” and the areain the middle as “stopover habitat.”

2. Explain to students that they are ospreysand will migrate between these three areasat your signal. Tell students the basesrepresent wetlands. These wetlands providesuitable habitat for ospreys. At the end ofeach migration, the students will have tohave one foot on a base in order to beallowed to continue (survive). Tell studentsthat only two (or three as decided in Step 1)ospreys can occupy a habitat (base) at onetime. If they can’t find a habitat that isn’t“filled,” then they have not found anysuitable habitat. They “pass away,” and haveto move, at least temporarily, to the side-lines. During the migration, the studentsmay want to flap their “wings,” moving likebirds in flight.

3. Explain that many factors will limit thesurvival of populations of ospreys. Someinvolve change in the wintering, stopoverand nesting habitats. There will be periodsof time when food, water, shelter and spaceare suitably arranged to meet the habitat


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requirements of the birds. There will beother times when the habitat is stressed,with many factors limiting the potential forthe birds’ survival

4. Begin the activity with all ospreys at thewintering habitat. Announce the start of thefirst migration. Have students migrateslowly until they become familiar with theprocess. Then they can speed up. On thefirst try, all the ospreys will successfullymigrate to the stopover habitat.

5. Explain that ospreys need these areas torest and eat before continuing the migratoryjourney. Then have them migrate from thestopover habitat to the nesting habitat.Explain that there has been no loss in thearea of available high-quality habitat. Thus,a successful nesting season is at hand.

6. Before students migrate back “south,”remove one base from the stopover habitat.Explain that a developer has received apermit to drain a wetland to build a mall.Repeat the instruction to migrate and sendthe birds to the stopover habitat. Havestudents who could not find availablehabitat stand on the sidelines. Tell studentsthese birds died as a result of habitat loss.Remind any “deceased” ospreys that theywill have a chance to get back into theactivity. They can come back as survivinghatchlings when favorable conditions prevailand habitat is available on the nesting ground.

7. Continue the migrations by reading thehabitat scenarios included. Teachers maywant to appoint two students as monitors toremove and add bases (habitats) as requiredon the cards.

8. After the activity, ask students to identifyfactors that caused osprey populations todecline or increase. What are the short- and

long-term effects of the decline or increase?Which factors are human-caused? Which arenatural? Which factors reduced or enhancedthe quality of the habitat? What are thebenefits and liabilities related to thesefactors for the community?

Extensions1. Research a species of water bird. Conduct

this activity again with each student repre-senting a specific kind of water bird.

2. Explore the major factors affecting habitatloss and alteration, or gain and restoration,in your area. Research the causes for long-term habitat loss, as well as any majorefforts underway to prevent these increas-ing losses. How would these habitat lossesand restoration efforts affect ospreys inyour area?

3. Using a map, plot the major migratoryroutes of North American birds.

4. Visit a national wildlife refuge, state wildlifearea, bird observatory, private sanctuary,seashore or other habitat for migratorywater birds.

5. What other animals migrate? Are theproblems they face similar to those ofmigratory birds?

6. There are national laws and internationaltreaties protecting migratory species. Findout about some of these. What is theirhistory? Are they effective? Are thereproblems enforcing them? What migratingspecies, if any, are unprotected by such laws?

7. Find out how wetlands have changed orremained the same in your communitythroughout the last 100 years. Are therewetland regulations or zoning laws in yourcommunity?


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Habitat Scenarios

These scenarios can be used during the activity to assist teachers with the factorsthat may reduce or enhance a wetland habitat. (Teachers may want to photocopy this pageprior to beginning the activity.)

■ A marsh has been dredged to allow a marina to be built. Remove one habitat fromthe stopover habitat.

■ A landowner has agreed to re-flood fields after harvesting, increasing acreage forwintering birds. Add one habitat to the wintering habitat.

■ A joint federal/state wetland restoration project involved removing drain tilesallowing a former wetland to flood and return to its natural state. Add one habitatto the stopover habitat.

■ A large increase in the number of mink and raccoons has reduced the value of amarsh nesting area. Remove one habitat from the nesting habitat.

■ Wintering habitat is reduced by the conversion of bottomland hardwood forests tocropland. Remove one habitat from the wintering habitat.

■ New legislation restricts motorboat traffic on a number of lakes and largemarshes, reducing the human disturbance to wildlife. Add one habitat to stopoverhabitat.

■ Several years of sufficient rain and snow have replenished the water supply, thusincreasing the food supply. Add one habitat to the nesting habitat.

■ A timber company has agreed to preserve a forested wetland in exchange for taxcredits. Add one habitat to the stopover habitat.

■ Filling and diking reduces the amount of tidal wetlands available to waterfowl.Remove one habitat from the wintering habitat.


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(Adapted from: Peregrine Falcons - The Flight toRecovery: Following Peregrine Migrations; ColoradoDivision of Wildlife)

Duration: 2 - 45 minute classes

Materials: copies of North American ospreymigration routes handout (included), re-search materials, handout of activity ques-tions, ruler, paper, pencil, detailed map ofthe Western Hemisphere

New Hampshire curriculum frameworkssupported: science: 3a, 3b; math: 4c, 7a;social studies: 4, 10, 14, 15

ObjectivesStudents will be able to: 1) describe the

general migration pattern of two North Ameri-can osprey populations, including the Atlanticseaboard population; 2) explain why ospreysmigrate; and 3) describe three hazards ospreysmight encounter during migration.

MethodsStudents become familiar with various

aspects of osprey migration through researchand mathematical manipulation of hypotheticaldata.

BackgroundBird migration, the seasonal movement of

birds from one place to another, has alwaysfascinated humans. Scientists are just begin-ning to understand how birds navigate duringmigration and suggest that birds use the stars,sun, moon, wind currents, landmarks and eventhe earth’s magnetic field to find their way.

Procedure1. Have students work individually or in small

groups to research the following topics:a.) why do birds migrate? b.) why someospreys migrate and some don’t; c.) homeranges of the four osprey populations of theworld; d.) home ranges of the four ospreypopulations in North America. Discuss thehazards that migrating ospreys might faceand ask students to suggest steps that couldbe taken to minimize these dangers.

2. When students have completed their re-search, either lead a class discussion aboutthe topics or have students report on theirtopics in writing or orally, summarizingtheir research for the rest of the class.

3. Create a handout for each student or groupof students and distribute it with a copy ofthe included map. (Note: The map depictshypothetical migration paths of different NorthAmerican populations of ospreys.) The hand-out might include the following questions:

A. Calculate the distances traveled byospreys 1, 2, 3 and 4. Give answers inboth miles and kilometers.

B. From and to which countries did ospreys1 and 2 migrate (include state andprovinces of the U.S. and Canada)?

C. Name the large bodies of water osprey 4flies over during its migration.

D. Over which states did ospreys 2 and 3 fly?

E. Assuming that ospreys 2, 3 and 4 all tookthree weeks to migrate north, what wasthe average number of kilometers ormiles traveled per day by each osprey?

F. Osprey 1 flew what percentage of thetotal kilometers or miles that osprey 2flew?

Which Way is Home?


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G. What hazards might ospreys 2 and 4encounter while migrating that osprey 1would not encounter?

H.Name the countries that ospreys 1 and 4would cross over during migration.

I. If osprey 3 flew at an average speed of 35kilometers per hour without stopping,how long did it take to complete itsmigration?

4. Have students answer the questions indi-vidually or in small groups. Compare anddiscuss the answers with the rest of theclass, including a discussion of the methodsused to arrive at the answers.

Extension1. What is the approximate longitude and

latitude where the flyways of ospreys 1 and2 intersect? In which country is the inter-section located?

2. Have students write a story from the per-spective of an osprey about their migrationfrom New Hampshire to Brazil. They couldhighlight the major events of their journey,including landscapes crossed and hazardsencountered flying over the Caribbean. Havestudents detail their experiences whileflying over the Virgin Islands, Trinidad andVenezuela.


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ReferencesBrown, Phillip and Waterson, George. Return

of the Osprey. London: Collins, 1962 (outof print).

Carpenteri, Stephen D. Osprey: The Fish Hawk.Minnetonka: NorthWord Press, 1997.

Dennis, Roy H. Ospreys. Colin Baxter Photog-raphy, 1991.

Gessner, David. Return of the Osprey, A Seasonof Flight and Wonder. Chapel Hill:Algonquin Books, 2001.

Henningsen, Nancy. Return of the Ospreys. NewYork: Peregrine Press, 1991.

Poole, Alan F. Ospreys: A Natural and Unnatu-ral History. New York: Cambridge Univer-sity Press, 1989.

Audubon Society of New Hampshire, includeswebcam at Lake Massabesicwww.nhaudubon.org/research/nhosprey.htm

Journey North, track the journeys of severalmigratory specieswww.learner.org/jnorth

The Raptor Center at the University ofMinnesotawww.raptor.cvm.umn.edu

Osprey Project at Rutland Water, UnitedKingdomwww.ospreys.org.uk

Osprey camera at Blackwater Reservoir,Marylandwww.friendsofblackwater.org/osprey.html

Highland Foundation for Wildlife, ospreymanagement in Scotlandwww.roydennis.org

Osprey nest camera at Loch Garten, Scotlandwww.rspb.org.uk/webcams/

Osprey nest monitoring, northern Englandwww.lakesfd.co.uk/osprey.htm

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department2 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301

(603) 271-3211www.wildlife.state.nh.us

NGM00004.P65

Public Service of New HampshirePO Box 330

Manchester, NH 03105-0330(603) 669-4000www.psnh.com

Audubon Society of New Hampshire5 Silk Farm Rd.

Concord, NH 03301(603) 224-9909

www.nhaudubon.org

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