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Packed lunches and service stations
Ospreys need to find food on their long journey south
They can get from the UK to Africa in less than three weeks. But many larger birds make slower progress. An osprey may take over two months to reach Africa. It can’t store enough energy for non-stop flying, because the extra fat would make it too heavy to fly.
Instead it relies on ‘service stations’, such as lakes and estuaries, where it can rest for a while and recharge its batteries with a juicy fish or two.
Last modified: 11 January 2005