Extinct Birds of North America

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. This species of bird was the only parrot native to the eastern United States. It was considered a pest to farmers and this was one of the reasons it was hunted to extinction. monk parakeet African gray parrot yellow-nape amazon Carolina parakeet

2. There were estimated populations in the billions of these pigeons in the days of Colonial America. Migratory flights were somtimes said to be about a mile wide and may have taken several hours to pass. mourning dove rock dove passenger pigeon homing pigeon

3. This sparrow relied on a cordgrass habitat. Cordgrass only grows on a narrow strip of land near the shore. The building of the Kennedy Space Center and its infrastructure may have destroyed much of the birds' habitat in Florida. dusky seaside sparrow grasshopper sparrow house sparrow song sparrow

4. This bird is the largest species of woodpecker in the United States. It had not been seen since the 1950's and therefore was presumed to be extinct. In 2005, it was reported in Arkansas. pileated woodpecker downy woodpecker ivory billed woodpecker acorn woodpecker

5. This bird was related to the prairie chicken and was (before the American Revolution) found from Maine to Virginia. The bird was found to be edible and was easy prey for hunters. This "chicken-like" bird became extinct in the 1930's. wild turkey sage grouse blue hen heath hen

6. Large breeding colonies of these birds were seen along the Atlantic coast. A flightless seabird, it was known to be a strong swimmer. In many ways it resembled a penguin. puffin great auk albatross common cormorant

7. This bird's morphology suggests it fed on shellfish and crustaceans in shallow water. Its breeding grounds were believed to be from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Labrador and north. It wintered on the Atlantic coast. Labrador duck widgeon eider duck snow goose

8. This parrot was a native to the southwestern United States. As most parrots, it fed on fruit. It becanme a pest to farmers as it regularly foraged in cultivated areas and orchards. The bird was about 12 inches long and was seen in flocks of several hundred birds. monk parakeet Louisiana parakeet Carolina parakeet military macaw

9. This was a cavity-nesting bird and could be found in the desert. It was native to a very small area of California. roadrunner cactus wren San Clemente Bewick's wren house sparrow

10. This bird was known to nest in the fields of Texas. The nest was built in tall grass and (similar to the ovenbird) often had a roof on it. ovenbird sandhill crane whooping crane Texas Henslow's sparrow