Sea ducks

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sea-ducks

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Mergini (tribe)
2. What is the key physiological adaptations?Supraorbital salt glands for osmoregulation, dense waterproof plumage for thermal insulation
3. What are sea ducks and where do they live?Sea ducks are a special group of ducks that live in salty ocean and coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Arctic, sub-Arctic, and temperate zones.
4. How do sea ducks drink saltwater without getting sick?They have special salt glands above their eyes that remove extra salt, letting them drink seawater safely.

Benthic invertebrates: Animals that live on the bottom of a body of water, such as the seabed.
Osmo-regulation: The process by which an organism controls the concentration of water and solutes in its body.
Trophic level: The position an organism occupies in a food chain, indicating its feeding relationship.
Habitat plasticity: The ability of an organism to adapt to different environmental conditions or habitats.