Sentence Correction

2. Sharply fewer ducks are expected to migrate south this fall and may be the lowest figure on record, according to United States and Canadian wildlife experts.
A. Sharply fewer ducks are expected to migrate south this fall and may be
B. It is expected that sharply fewer ducks will migrate south this fall and may be
C. The ducks expected to migrate south this fall will be sharply reduced, perhaps to
D. The number of ducks that will migrate south this fall is expected to drop sharply, perhaps to
E. A sharp drop is expected in the number of ducks that will migrate south this fall, which may be

I'll post OA later please explain in detail

I think the answer is D.
In this case 'sharply' is used to show the abrupt reduction in the number of ducks.Subject should be 'the number of ducks'.
'Sharply fewer' is not so A & B marked out.
In E 'A sharp drop' is not unnecessarily wordy.
In C 'The ducks expected to migrate south this fall will be sharply reduced'-ducks are not reducing the number is reducing.
In D-'The number of ducks'is a singular noun & 'is' correct verb form.Adverb sharply is correctly related to 'drop'.

Request 1: Please learn to underline the sentence. It takes very little effort on your part, and make life a LOT easier for the other.

Request 2: Provide the OA and the source, you can put a spoiler on these if you feel so possessive about the answer.

Now, moving to the question...

IMO D.

A. sharply fewer ducks is meaningless.
B. in addition to the point i raised in A, will and may be don't go together.
C. The ducks can't be reduced.
D. Correct
E. Misplaced modifier. The fall may be the lowest figure on record?