African Aviary Trivia Quiz

Answer: Marabou stork

Not described as a pretty bird, the marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) is a scavenger, often eating with vultures. It is a very large bird that stands up to 5 feet tall with its long legs and can weigh nearly 20 lbs. Its wingspan is around 12 feet in width. The bird's head is naked of feathers and reddish spotted with a bare, pink neck. It does have a large pink sac at its throat for mating calls and when it feels threatened. There is a white ruff just around the neck. The head and neck without feathers make it easier to stay clean after poking its head in carcasses. The stork's back is black, and its underwing and body are white. They do not only eat from carcasses, they will go to fires and swoop in to grab fleeing animals. The marabou stork lives near humans and dumping sites. It builds large tree nests for its lifelong partnership and breeds in colonies. They typically have 2-3 eggs per clutch and both sexes take incubation duty that lasts approximately 30 days. You can find this "undertaker bird" south of the Sahara. The undertail down of the stork formerly was harvested for feather boas, hence the term "marabou scarf."

Jaknginger of PR's Red Crew scavenged the web for information on this stork.

Answer: Fleshy folds of skin on side of head

The Lappet faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) is distributed throughout Africa, though numbers are declining, it prefers areas of dry savannah, but can be seen in more human inhabited areas if tempted by a roadkill snack. It is a very large bird with a wingspan of 2.5 to 2.9 m ( 8.2 to 9.5 ft), clad mainly in black feathers apart from the contrasting white feathers on the legs; its head is bald but brightly coloured, red or pink are common, with fleshy folds of skin giving rise to its name. A 'lappet' is a hanging piece of flesh or fold on an animal or bird. The bald head is an advantage in a bird that will be in contact with carrion. Any blood or other bodily fluids are easily cleaned. They are scavengers and due to their size can chase away smaller species if necessary. Elephant carcasses are particularly popular, as there is more meat to consume at a single sitting. Due to declining habitat destruction their IUCN status is described as endangered.

Red Crew's smpdit hopes that breeding populations with increase for this species.

Answer: Grey crowned crane

The lovely, grey crowned crane is Uganda's national bird and is also depicted on the Ugandan flag. The specific subspecies found in Uganda is the East African Balearica regulorum gibbericeps (crested crane). This bird's habitat starts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and covers east to Uganda and Kenya and on to eastern South Africa. The other subspecies is the B. r. regulorum (South African crowned crane) which is found on the western coast of Africa at Angola and south to South Africa. Our question's focus is the grey crowned crane. It is an omnivore. Though the breeding is typically in the drier seasons, they can be found near marshes, rivers, and lakes. The breeding involves a mating dance, which is a full strut. Both sexes incubate the 2-5 eggs, which take about 30 days to hatch. They are not always migratory and stay in flocks of up to 150 birds. The bird has long legs for wading and stands around 3 feet. This particular crane has a long back-toe good for grabbing branches and nesting in trees. It weighs under 10 lbs. It is covered with grey feathers on the body and predominantly white wings except for a black area on the top. Other colors such as maroon and darker grey can be seen on the tail portion and underwing. Those colors are readily seen during the mating dance. The wingspan is around 6.5 feet. The head of the grey crowned crane is striking with a stiff, golden crown of feathers on the top of a black head and a short, black beak. The face has white sides with a red patch above each eye and a red throat pouch. The pouch inflates and gives the crane a distinguishable call.
Habitat loss and poaching of the cranes and their eggs have placed this bird on the endangered list. It is a protected species in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Jaknginger was so intrigued by the mention of the dance she had to google. Worth a watch!

Answer: Nectar

Found throughout Africa and other parts of the world including the Middle East, South Asia, China, New Guinea and Australia, the sunbird's diet consists largely of nectar, but spiders, insects and fruit can also form a part. Due to convergent evolution sunbirds have various similarities to other groups of birds, namely hummingbirds of the Americas and honeyeaters of Oceania.
The males and females of the sunbirds have vastly different plumage, the males displaying bright plumage of iridescent hues, whilst the females are generally drab brown. They have long thin bills that curve downwards which have evolved to make nectar feeding efficient. If a flower is shaped in such a way to make it difficult to dip into to get the nectar, they use the beak to pierce the base. As nectar feeders they also play an important role in pollination for some well-known African plants such as proteas and bird of paradise.

Red crew's smpdit dresses conservatively allowing her husband free range to wear outlandish flamboyance if he so chooses.

Answer: Eating ticks and other parasites

Both native to the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, the yellow-billed oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) and the red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorynchus) are the only two members of the family Buphagidae. The name "buphagus" comes from the Greek for "ox-eater" - which, like their common name, refers to these birds' habit of perching on large mammals, both wild and domesticated, in order to feed on the parasites that abound on these animals' bodies. The interaction between the birds and the mammals has been described as an example of mutualism (which benefits both parties). However, since oxpeckers also peck at wounds on their hosts and feed on their flesh and blood (a practice also found in other bird species), some scientists have argued that the oxpecker/mammal interaction is a form of parasitism (which benefits only one party, and often harms the other). Some ungulate species - including elephants - are intolerant of oxpeckers, while others - such as rhinos - are happy to let the birds perch on their massive bodies: indeed, the red-billed oxpecker is called "Askari wa kifaru" ("the rhino's guard") in Swahili, because with its distinctive call it can alert the rhino to the presence of predators. Oxpeckers are small birds with dark brown bodies, mostly distinguished - as their common names imply - by the colour of their bills. The yellow-billed oxpecker is found from Senegal to Sudan, while the red-billed oxpecker is mainly found in East Africa, though occasionally the ranges of the two species overlap.

LadyNym of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew wrote this question, fascinated by the dynamics of the animal world.

Answer: Kori bustard

The Kori bustard is a mostly ground-dwelling bird found in the savannahs and grasslands of coastal sub-Saharan Africa. The Kori has brown feathers across its back with a black crest on the top of its head. Its long neck is covered in banded black and white or grey feathers, with spotted feathers along the tops of its legs. The male Kori is larger than the female and can weigh up to 19kg (42lbs). In order to be able to fly it has a sizable wingspan of 230-275cm (7 to 9 feet). Unfortunately, because of their weight they are slow to take off and often fall prey to predators. They are omnivorous birds, eating seeds, berries, insects, lizards and even small mammals. The Kori bustard is the national bird of Botswana and its nicknames include the Christmas turkey and the Kalahari Kentucky.

Phoenix Rising's leith90 thinks the Kori is too pretty to eat.

Answer: Habitat loss

The hornbill family (Bucerotidae) includes about 55 species of birds, native to Africa, Asia and Melanesia, characterized by a long, down-curved bill reminiscent of a cow's horn (the meaning of the word "buceros" in Greek). The southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus ledbetteri) is one of two species of the genus Bucorvus - the other being the slightly smaller Abyssinian ground hornbill, which is found in Northern sub-Saharan Africa. Ranging from Kenya to South Africa, where it inhabits woodlands and savanna, the southern ground hornbill is a large bird, whose males can weigh up to 6.2 kg (13.7 lb), with a wingspan of 1.2 - 1.8 m (3.11 ft - 5.11 ft). Its plumage and bill are black, and adults have red patches of bare skin on the face and throat. As its name implies, this bird - an apex predator - looks for food on the ground, where it hunts invertebrates, reptiles, frogs, and small mammals. With its striking appearance and loud call, the southern ground hornbill has been granted iconic status in the cultures of the African countries it inhabits. Though associated with death and bad luck in parts of Southern Africa, it is also believed to provide protection from destructive weather phenomena, or to help people change their perception of reality. Unfortunately, habitat degradation and loss due to human activity, coupled with low reproductive rates, have caused these birds' numbers to decline dramatically. While in 2016 IUCN classified the southern ground hornbill as Vulnerable, some of the countries where it is found have classified it as endangered. The loss of trees, needed as nesting sites, has been particularly detrimental to this bird.

LadyNym of Phoenix Rising's Red Crew wrote this question, hoping that this iconic bird will be able to survive in spite of everything.

Answer: True

The secretary bird is a distinctive bird. It is tall, about 1.3m or 4 feet tall. It has the head of an eagle but the legs of a crane. Adults have a featherless reddish face with grey plumage, and a flattened dark crest and black wings and thighs. Its diet of small vertebrates and insects are caught by stomping on them on the ground. The species was called "sagittarius" by Dutch settlers as they though it looked like an archer whilst searching for food. It was also known as the "secretarius" by farmers who had domesticated the bird to contain pests around houses. It was suggested that "secretarius" might be a corruption of "sagittarius" Others have suggested that "sagittarius" is a misheard or incorrectly transcribed form of "secretarius", rather than the other way around. Another explanation of the name is that the crest of feathers looks like the quill pens that 19th century secretaries tucked behind their ears. It lives in sub-Saharan Africa and does not migrate.

This question flew into the quiz by Phoenix Rising's 1nn1.

Answer: Pelecaniformes (pelicans and herons)

The shoebill was previously thought to be a stork, but genetic analysis places it with the pelicans - perhaps the enormous bill is a hint! The bill is pinkish-tan with gray spots, and the upper mandible ends in a sharp, downcurved point. The genus and species name is Balaeniceps rex, or whale-head. The shoebill is tall, standing about 4 feet high, weighing 9-16 lbs (4-7 kg). The wide wingspan makes the bird well-adapted to soaring. Large feet assist with standing on aquatic vegetation. The bird lives in central Africa, in freshwater swamps. The birds are solitary, and hunt fish by standing motionless on vegetation and suddenly striking to snatch up the prey. Lungfish are their preferred food. The population is considered vulnerable - they breed slowly and have a restricted habitat that is under threat.

Player pusdoc would like to snatch up a photo of a shoebill someday!

Answer: Lilac-breasted

Rollers are acrobatic birds that feed on insects they grab while in flight. The term "roller" especially refers to the swooping courtship flight. The lilac-breasted roller is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. The birds frequently perch on the tops of trees or man-made structures. In addition to the eponymous lilac breast, the bird has green, dark blue, azure and dark purple areas. Adult birds have long black tail streamers, contributing to an overall length of 36-38 centimeters (14-15 inches). In addition to insects, they prey upon scorpions, lizards and even small birds. The birds make unlined nests in tree holes, sometimes using a woodpecker's nest hole. 2-4 white eggs are laid, which hatch in 22-24 days. The population is sizeable, and they live across a large range, so they are listed as being of "least concern."

It may be common, but player pusdoc realllllly wants to see a lilac-breasted roller and has this on her "bucket list."