Which Bird Eats What? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Seeds

White-throated sparrows are fairly widely distributed in North America, breeding mostly in Canada. They have a haunting song, transliterated in the Kaufman field guide as "oh, sweet, kimberly-kimberly-kimberly". As the name implies, they have a white throat and also a striped crown. They will visit feeders, and are found foraging on the ground in many public spaces.

Answer: Seeds

In breeding plumage, male American goldfinches are sprightly fellows of bright yellow sporting a black cap and wings. Females and the winter plumage are a bit duller, but still have hints of yellow. These birds will avidly consume nyger seed at feeders, and often perch photogenically on thistles or sunflowers.

Answer: Seeds

The beloved "redbird" of the eastern half of the US, cardinals will happily visit your feeder to eat sunflower seeds. The males are vivid red with a crest and a black throat; females tend to be more yellow-green in coloration.

Answer: Seeds

Dark-eyed juncos are widespread in North America, which can be confusing as there are many different "color morphs" across the continent. The most familiar on the east cost is a tuxedo-ed variety known as a "slate-colored junco," but in the west other color morphs sport varying shades of russet, gray, white and black. Juncos breed in the northern reaches of the continent, and will often appear in the middle of the continent with the arrival of snow. Juncos happily visit bird feeders.

Answer: Fish

Bald eagles prefer fish as their main diet, but they aren't too picky - they are often found at trash heaps and fish-cleaning areas, picking over the (dead) remains. Of course bald eagles aren't actually bald - they have white feathers on their heads that gives them that name.

It takes about five years for a juvenile bald eagle to develop the full adult plumage, including the white head.

Answer: Fish

Osprey are a monotypic species, meaning there is only one type of osprey worldwide; they are found on every continent except Antarctica. They dive feet-first to capture fish, and generally capture prey close to the surface, which means they can successfully hunt in fairly shallow bodies of water.

In North America they were nearly wiped out in the 1970s due to the accumulation of DDT in their prey, but their populations have rebounded nicely. They built bulky stick nests, which in modern times are often constructed on man-made structures, including platforms erected intentionally to support osprey nests.

Answer: Insects

American redstarts are warblers, and like most warblers, hunt insects nearly exclusively. Redstarts flick their wings and tails often, and their bright coloration makes this a delightful display to observe - the wings and tail are accented with orange (males) or yellow (females).

Answer: Small animals

Barn owls have a distinctive heart-shaped, white facial disk which has earned them the nickname "monkey-faced owl". Unlike many owls which "hoot," the barn owl makes a screaming sound. True to their name, they will commonly roost in human-built structures, hunting mammals such as mice, voles and rats.

Answer: Carrion

Restricted to the southeastern portion of the United States, black vultures are a familiar sight in the sky, soaring on broad, outstretched, black wings with white "fingertips". Up close, they have a featherless black head. Black vultures have a poor sense of smell, so often follow turkey vultures to locate a feast of dead and decaying carcasses.

Answer: Carrion

California condors have the widest wingspan of any North American bird. With naked red heads and white and black patterned wings, they are impressive birds. Their numbers were as low as 22, but successful reintroductions have increased their numbers in certain pockets in the American west. Risks to the population beyond habitat loss include the fact that they only raise one chick per breeding season, and are at risk of lead poisoning from ammunition remaining in the carcasses they consume.

They nest on cliffs, and soar while searching for the carcasses of deer and other animals.

Answer: Small animals

Golden eagles are found across much of the northern hemisphere. The "golden" in their common name refers to brighter colored feathers found on their head and nape - most of the other feathers are a rich brown color. In the US, they are most common in the west, where their favorite prey are jackrabbits and prairie dogs.

Answer: Fish

Brown pelicans are found along all three coasts of North America down to the northern portion of South America. They fly in groups, often just above the crest of the waves. They dive from above to catch fish, creating a large splash as they hit the water, stunning their prey which they scoop up in the fleshy pouch below their bill. Pelicans were also affected by DDT that accumulated in the flesh of their fish dinners, resulting in thinning of the shell of the eggs laid by the pelicans.

Their numbers have also rebounded once the pesticide's use was curtailed.

Answer: Insects

Black-and-white warblers have thin bills adapted for gleaning small insects and spiders as they creep along trees. Often the first spring migrants to arrive, they are mostly seen in the eastern half of the North American continent. As their name implies, they have black and white stripes over much of their body.

Answer: Insects

The Eastern wood-pewee is named for its call, a fairly loud "pee-a-wee" and their location in the eastern half of the US. (Yes, there is a western wood-pewee as well). They are flycatchers, often sallying forth from a twig to snatch insects on the wing.

They are gray to olive, with faint whitish wing bars and no eye ring; these field marks help to separate them from other flycatchers found in the same area.

Answer: Small animals

Red-tailed hawks are very common across much of North America. Their plumage varies considerably, although the reddish tail is usually present, except in juveniles. Frequently there is a "belly band" of darker feathers, and a dark line at the front of the wing (dark patagial line).

There are both light and dark variations that may be seen in some areas. Their call is a scream which is often used for any bird of prey (e.g. eagles) on movie soundtracks. They mostly hunt for mammals, and can carry off prey weighing up to 5 pounds.

Answer: Carrion

Turkey vultures have featherless heads with red, wrinkly skin. Their feathers are black/brown. In flight, they are said to "teeter," with their wings held in a slight V shape, rocking side to side. They have a good sense of smell, so are able to locate animal carcasses while they are soaring above.

They can eat carrion without any problem even when it carries germs such as rabies or anthrax. They have very strong stomach acid, and if threatened one defensive maneuver is to vomit on the offending creature.

Answer: Fish

In the US, this cormorant lives along the Gulf coast. The neotropic cormorant is mostly black with some white feathers on its face in breeding plumage. It has a piercing, turquoise blue eye. Other cormorant species live elsewhere in the country, and all of them eat fish.

In fact, cormorants have been used by fisherman - a ring is placed around their neck so they cannot swallow larger fish they catch. The neotropic cormorant catches fish either by plunge diving from a fairly low altitude or by diving while swimming along the surface. Cormorants are often seen perched with their wings spread to dry in the sun - they are not waterproof like other waterbirds.

Answer: Fish

There are puffins on the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts of the US with extension across the northern hemisphere. The Pacific species are the horned puffin and the tufted puffin. The Atlantic puffin is the familiar species with its sharp black and white plumage and enormous, colorful bill.

As seen in many photos, puffins can carry several fish at a time in those bills - their preferred prey are smaller fish such as sand lances.

Answer: Insects

Red-eyed vireos are plentiful in eastern forests, and they sing nearly incessantly. They eat all types of insects, but caterpillars comprise the majority of their prey. Like other vireos, their bill has a hook on the tip which aids in dissecting their meal for easy consumption - I have also seen them use their bills to tear open webs containing tent caterpillars.

Although insects are the major food source, they will also eat fruit and berries.

Answer: Insects

Pileated woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers in North America, now that the ivory-billed woodpecker is presumably extinct. They have a bright red crest and shiny black bodies with white markings on their face and wings. They drum on fallen logs and dead trees in search of insect prey, especially carpenter ants.

Their loud, chuckling call is reminiscent of the old "Woody Woodpecker" cartoon character.