Ospreys eat almost nothing but fish. They live near water, such as rivers, lakes and the coast. An osprey flies over the water and hovers. Then it plunges toward the water to catch a fish.

An osprey is about 21 to 23 inches long. Its wingspan is about 5 to 6 feet. An adult osprey usually weighs about three to four pounds. Adult ospreys have yellow eyes.

An osprey has rough pads on its feet. The pads help it hold a slippery fish. It also has a see-through third eyelid. It closes the eyelid when it dives into the water. It can keep water out of its nostrils when it goes under water.

Ospreys build large nests of sticks and branches. They add new material to their nest each year. So the nest can become huge. Osprey pairs use the same nest year after year. A female osprey lays two to four eggs. Both the male and the female osprey incubate the eggs.

Words to know

• wingspan: tip to tip
• hovers: stays in air
• nostrils: nose holes
• incubate: keep eggs warm