In the skies above the Yellowstone River, an osprey scans the waters below for its next meal. Osprey have exceptionally acute vision and can pick out the movement of fish one hundred feet below. It's not easy to haul a struggling 3-pound trout out of water and into the air. But this hunter cannot rest for long. Nearby he has a hungry brood to feed. These chicks just a few weeks old must eat often if they are to grow as large as their parents over the next month. The nest is constantly maintained. It will be another month before the chicks can take to the air. The chicks relentlessly plead for food, prompting an adult to fly off for another try. The greater portion of an osprey's diet consists of fish. So they may make dozens of dives each day. At this time of year, the streams are teeming with fish. Ospreys can usually snag one in minutes. This time, to return with the prize.
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