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Quiz about LinguaAvis Birdwatcher Words
Quiz about LinguaAvis Birdwatcher Words

Lingua-Avis: Birdwatcher Words Quiz


Twitchers and dudes, moo-tweets and rockpeckers, the patois of the birdwatcher is both imaginative and humorous. Play this quiz for the words or play it for the birds. Or play the quiz for the challenge of decoding this "lingua avis".

A multiple-choice quiz by uglybird. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
uglybird
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
225,195
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
1317
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 72 (7/10), jogreen (4/10), Chavs (6/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Bird watchers employ an extensive technical vocabulary, and many of the birder's special words apply to particular groups or species of birds. For instance, which of the following would you guess is the moniker applied to a bird that can be found in the company of cows? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What the British call an "LBJ" Americans tend to term an "LBB". Drab and difficult to identify, these boring birds have which two characteristics? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Birder jargon testifies to the fact that a birder watcher may espy more than birds as he or she gazes into the sky. Which of the following is a featherless, manmade creation propelled by aviation fuel rather than flight muscles? Hint: Some would say it's related to the "stormy petrol". Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Your twitcher friend is in a tizzy because he missed seeing the Yellow-rumped warblers. How might he inform you of this using the birder vernacular? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. In British bird watching circles, if you were pronounced "an obsessive and hardened twitcher", what it would it imply? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Although a subset of birdwatchers are content to quietly observe common birds in their natural habitat, many birders are devoted list keepers, happily placing a tick mark next to that unusual bird they've just seen. Some are so passionate in their pursuit of that next tick that they stoop to "stringing". Which of the following constitutes "stringing"? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Of course, birdwatchers are not always pleased with one another. One birding stereotype is that of the "dude". Which of the following is an ATYPICAL characteristic of a "dude", in the bird watching sense? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Your birder friend's eyes take on a far away and misty look as he attempts to explain the term used for the synthesis of shape, color and behaviors that permits the gifted birder to recognize birds by a type of almost mystical gestalt. What is this term?
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Birders have their little euphemisms. Which of the following is the "collected" bird? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. You are walking with your birding friend in a public park. You are mortified on his behalf as he begins to pish and squeak. What is your friend doing? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 72: 7/10
Feb 24 2024 : jogreen: 4/10
Feb 15 2024 : Chavs: 6/10
Feb 08 2024 : Guest 149: 8/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Bird watchers employ an extensive technical vocabulary, and many of the birder's special words apply to particular groups or species of birds. For instance, which of the following would you guess is the moniker applied to a bird that can be found in the company of cows?

Answer: Moo-tweet

Moo-tweets, or as they are also known, cowbirds are notorious for placing their eggs in the nests of other birds to be hatched. Their propensity to keep company with cattle results from the tasty intestinal worms that the cowbirds extract from dung. "Lawn carp" is a derisive term applied to semi-domesticated western Canada geese.

A "snog" is a song sparrow, whereas the term "cull" denotes a common gull.
2. What the British call an "LBJ" Americans tend to term an "LBB". Drab and difficult to identify, these boring birds have which two characteristics?

Answer: They are little and brown.

I have a bird-watching friend who excels in the identification of little brown birds (or little brown jobs as a Brit might say). His special advantage? He is both blue-yellow and red-green colorblind. Since he sees the world in monochrome and must rely entirely on patterns of shade to identify any bird, he has an advantage when other bird watchers are unable to exploit their ability to see colors.
3. Birder jargon testifies to the fact that a birder watcher may espy more than birds as he or she gazes into the sky. Which of the following is a featherless, manmade creation propelled by aviation fuel rather than flight muscles? Hint: Some would say it's related to the "stormy petrol".

Answer: A gashawk

The great horned-owl (growler), rockpecker (a rocky-shore bird) and the ropit (rocky pipit) are birds. The "gashawk" is a plane. Yet, to my knowledge, there is no birder slang for superman.
4. Your twitcher friend is in a tizzy because he missed seeing the Yellow-rumped warblers. How might he inform you of this using the birder vernacular?

Answer: Any of these

To "dip out" is to miss an opportunity to see a desirable bird. If someone sees the bird you miss, then you've been "gripped off". Perhaps you can't make a positive ID because your binoculars fog and so you can't put the check mark (tick) next to the bird's name on your bird list.
5. In British bird watching circles, if you were pronounced "an obsessive and hardened twitcher", what it would it imply?

Answer: You might scare a rare bird away after seeing it to prevent even your best friend from having an opportunity to see it.

"Twitcher" is a usually nonpejorative moniker applied to birdwatchers, albeit somewhat obsessive ones, particularly in Britain. The term may have derived from the propensity of an avid birdwatcher to twitch at the mere mention of the sighting of a rare bird.

A hardened twitcher would not let any weather, any distance or any expense stand between themselves and their prey... that is... I mean... a rare bird they are seeking. Some are reportedly competitive enough to take steps to prevent other birdwatchers from seeing the prize bird once they have. "Vellicate" means "twitch" but is not in the birding vernacular.
6. Although a subset of birdwatchers are content to quietly observe common birds in their natural habitat, many birders are devoted list keepers, happily placing a tick mark next to that unusual bird they've just seen. Some are so passionate in their pursuit of that next tick that they stoop to "stringing". Which of the following constitutes "stringing"?

Answer: Placing a mark next to a rare bird on a personal list despite a dubious identification

Many birdwatchers on both sides of the pond are inveterate list keepers. For most, the "life list" that chronicles every bird every spotted is most treasured. But lists based on years, months and locales abound as well. When a bird is spotted a mark or tick is duly placed next to the bird. Birders must deal with the temptation to "tick" a bird even though their identification is doubtful. Those whose fellow birders strongly suspect of questionable identifications become known as stringers. In America, the American Birding Association will publish individual member's lists. An honor system is employed.
7. Of course, birdwatchers are not always pleased with one another. One birding stereotype is that of the "dude". Which of the following is an ATYPICAL characteristic of a "dude", in the bird watching sense?

Answer: The ability to skillfully and accurately identify even the most difficult to identify bird

In birding lingo, a "dude" is a low-key, relaxed hobbyist. The dude's lack of devotion might lead to behavior that a dedicated birdwatcher would find annoying if not infuriating. The "dude" should not be confused with the novice "protobirder", who might lack nothing in enthusiasm, but whose naiveté and bumbling could be an even sorer trial for the serious, experienced birder than the casual approach of the dude.
8. Your birder friend's eyes take on a far away and misty look as he attempts to explain the term used for the synthesis of shape, color and behaviors that permits the gifted birder to recognize birds by a type of almost mystical gestalt. What is this term?

Answer: Jizz

Some believe that "jizz" has evolved from a term the civil air patrol used: "giss" - an acronym for "general impression of shape and size". Pressed to justify an identification, a birder might resort to listing size, shape color, field marks, and behavior.

However, considering the ability of the human mind to recognize familiar objects (or birds) at the merest glance, perhaps replying that "it had the jizz of an American widgeon" is reasonable. "Bins" are binoculars, a "wa-haa" is a cedar waxing, and a mamoo is a marbled murrelet.
9. Birders have their little euphemisms. Which of the following is the "collected" bird?

Answer: The stuffed and mounted bird

"Collect" is a bird watching euphemism for shooting a bird. Ornithologists still commonly practice "collecting" today. Usually a shotgun with very fine shot is employed to minimize damage to the victim... I mean bird. An unnamed but reliable source has informed me that a very few (generally older) birdwatchers sparingly utilize "collection" to this day.

There is even an apocryphal story about the fate of the last carolina parakeet seen in the wild.
10. You are walking with your birding friend in a public park. You are mortified on his behalf as he begins to pish and squeak. What is your friend doing?

Answer: Trying to attract birds

Say "shhh". Very good. Now, put a "P" sound in front of your "shhh" to make the "psssh" sound. Good. Now kiss the back of your hand in such a way as to make a loud squeaking kissing noise. Congratulations! You're pishing and squeaking. According to the American Birding Association, if you walk slowly and quietly down your favorite path pishing and squeaking, you'll have the opportunity to stare at a number of little brown birds that would normally be hidden. Of course, it there are any non-birding humans about, you may also be the subject of a stare or two.

A "pibble" is a "pied-billed grebe".
Source: Author uglybird

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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