A Kaleidoscope of Feathers Trivia Quiz

Answer: Guyana

The sun conure is found in northern areas of South America, especially Brazil, Guyana, and Suriname. One of the biggest threats to this beautiful bird is capture for the pet trade, as well as loss of habitat. This is a social bird which tends to live in small groups and feeds on nuts, berries, and fruit. Both males and females sport these flamboyantly colored feathers. Because it lives in areas that are often hard to penetrate, not a lot is known about this bird and its habits in the wild.

Answer: Can only fly in short bursts.

The golden pheasant spends most of its waking time on the ground, where it is most prone to run away from trouble rather than fly. Capable of flying only short distances, it can appear ungainly and awkward while in the air. After foraging for grubs and seeds, they fly to the tree tops to spend the night away from the predators on the ground.

Answer: Seeds, small nuts, and fruit

A bird's bill is one way to identify a bird, as well as learn about their eating habits. The Eastern rosella has a cone shaped bill that is designed for cracking seeds and nuts. This is a common and effective beak design. This colorful bird was endemic to eastern regions of Australia and has now spread to New Zealand.

Answer: Males and females look alike in size and color.

When it is said that an animal has no sexual dimorphism, it means that males and females are the same size and color. The hyacinth macaw can be sexed only through a DNA analysis. With a life span of over 60 years, great intelligence (for a bird) and brilliant blue feathers, the hyacinth macaw is one of the most popular birds kept as a pet.

Answer: In a tree

Most, but not all, roseate spoonbills build their nests in a tree. Courtship displays involve the exchange of nesting materials, such as twigs and sticks. This is followed by dancing and clapping their bills together, almost as if they were fencing. The male and female work together to build a sturdy nest and both take an active part in taking care of their babies.

These lovely pink birds are usually found in U.S. states with borders on the Gulf of Mexico. They use their unusual bills to catch small fish, amphibians, and, occasionally, some plant material.

Answer: True

Flamingos are some of the most recognizable wading birds. Their pink, orange, or red colors are caused by the carotenoid pigments in their food and can change repeatedly throughout their lives. Their diets consist of plankton, algae, shrimp and various crustaceans, depending on where the flamingo lives.

Another piece of trivia deals with the backward bending "knee" of the flamingo. This is actually their ankle; their knee is near the top of leg near the body and is not readily seen through the bird's pink plumage.

Answer: False

The many species of the bird-of-paradise are possibly the most flamboyantly feathered members of the animal kingdom. The can be found all around the globe, usually in tropical regions. They come in many different sizes and every color of the rainbow. These fruit-loving birds often have an important seed-dispersing role in their jungle ecosystems.

At one time these were some of the most highly hunted birds, as their unusual feathers were a valued commodity in women's millinery.

Answer: Australia

The black swan is a large swan that was indigenous to Australia but can now be found in many locations including all of the incorrect answers, as well as New Zealand and New Guinea. They are usually a social bird that can be found in groups as big as a hundred.

They can be seen flying in "V" formation and are very strong flyers. Black swans mate for life and work together when parenting their hatchlings.

Answer: They were hunted for their feathers.

Many people think that the snowy egret is one of the loveliest of the wading birds. Their immaculate plumage is accentuated by long black legs and bright yellow feet. During the breeding season they grow beautiful wispy feathers which were highly sought after by the public for decorating their hats, and other things such as bridal gowns, and other lacy clothing.

Their feathers reached such astronomical prices that the population became endangered. Once protection was put in place, their populations recovered and they are now common in the southern U.S. down to Chile.

Answer: Train

Only the peacock has the fantastic train, which they spread to impress females in the area. The bigger and brighter the train, the more peahens the peacock will attract. Peafowl can fly, but only for short distances, and are omnivores favoring insects, small reptiles, and various plants. The bird is a social animal that lives in groups that contains one male and his adoring harem.