Third Grade Teachers: Please click here to access Osprey Lesson Plans. Osprey are often referred to as the Sea Hawk and are one of about 243 bird species that call the Gulf of Mexico home. They are an important indicator species as they rely almost exclusively on fish for food and nest in high locations, both of which require stable habitats. If the fisheries and marshlands that provide the food source suffers, these unique raptors would not be able to survive in our areas any longer.