Past Question of the Week
You may submit a Question of the Week at any time. Any question submitted that is used will receive two extra credit points. Click here to submit a question or an answer.
2003: | Mar 31
| Mar 24 | Mar 17 | Mar
10 | Feb 24 | Feb 17
| Feb 3 | Jan 27 | Jan
20 |
2002: | Jan
14 | Jan 21 | Jan 28
| Feb 4 | Feb 11 | Feb
18 | Feb 25 | Mar 4
| Mar 18 | Mar 25
| Apr 1 | Apr 8 | Apr
15 | Apr 22 |
Question of the week: What
is the only bird to hatch with all its adult plumage?
Submitted by: Laurel Marburg
Answer: The New Zealand Kiwi
The young kiwi emerges wearing shaggy adult
plumage. The young chick is not fed by the adult, but survives on a large
reserve of yolk in its belly. Gaining strength, the chick remains in the
nest for six to ten days. The young kiwi then leaves the burrow, and, accompanied
by the male, begins to search for food.
Submitted by: Celeste Ruth
Question of the week:
At what National Wildlife Refuge boundary are birds such as egrets permissibly shot by hired sharpshooters and why?
Submitted by: Steve Collins
Answer:
The sharpshooting of birds such as egrets
is permissible at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Maui, Hawai`i
due to its close proximity to the airport. Collisions between birds
and aircraft are dangerous for passengers and expensive economically.
The shooting of egrets is an attempt to make them relocate their rookery,
as a flock of 1,300 egrets flew across the airfield from their feeding
sites to the rookery twice a day. At New York's John F. Kennedy
International Airport, where an Air France Concorde sustained more than
$5 million in damages after hitting geese, thousands of birds have been
shot right at the edge of a wildlife refuge. Airport officials at
JFK have hired falconers and sharpshooters, who use falcons or bullets
to disperse laughing gulls, swallows, egrets and other birds. They
are attracted by the Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge next door.
(Okay, so there were two answers, but Sarah was quick enough to get both
of them.) Submitted by: Sarah Gibson
Question of the week:
What invention saved the Ostrich and possibly hundreds of species of birds with long, elaborate plumage from extinction?
Submitted by: Celeste Ruth
Answer:
Marie
Antoinette, a French Queen, made a casual gesture that consigned
thousands of species of beautiful birds
to extinction. She took a feather
from a decorative stand and placed it
in her coiffeur. Instantly wearing
feathers became a fashion rage. Ladies
throughout the world vied for the
most elaborate feathers they could find
for their hairdos and hats.
Hunting wild birds for their feathers became
a large scale enterprise
throughout the world. Species after species
was hunted to extinction. The
ostrich feathers were particular prized
because they have such a "floaty"
quality to them. The ostriches were on
the verge of extinction in the wild
when an unexpected savior occurred on
the scene: the automobile. When milady
was on her horse, sidesaddle, gracefully
cantering across the fields, her
ostrich plume looked lovely. On the other
hand, when she was in an open
automobile speeding along at 40 miles
per hour, the ostrich plume was a
disaster. Ostrich feathers went out of
style, and records that still exist
in the National Agricultural Library show
that the trade in ostrich feathers
virtually ceased in 1913.
Submitted by: Christie Kleinert
Question of the week:
What species of bird has been known to
place a live blind-snake in its nest so that the snake can eat mites and
other pests?
Submitted by: Jaime Pawlak
 |
Answer:
Eastern Screech Owls (Otus species) put blind snakes (Leptotyphlops dulcis) or a related species, into their nests. The parent Screech Owls seek out this snake that usually lives under ground and put it in the nest with their hatchlings. The snake doesn't bother the owl chicks and it survives nicely in the nest by eating nest parasites like fleas and mites. Screech Owl hatchlings who are raised with these blind snakes are usually healthier than those that aren't. Submitted by:
|
Question of the week:
What species is the only member in it's family and is the only waterbird to form breeding groups of one male and two females?
Submitted by: Nyeema Harris
Answer: Magpie Goose
The only species in it's family, this
gooselike bird is unique in many ways. It is the
only waterfowl with legs so long that
the ends of the feet extend beyond the
tail during flight and it is the only
waterbird to form breeding groups of one
male and two females. The aborigines of
Northern Australia traditionally prevent
pregnant women from eating the meat of
this bird: "arrngg ilg, ar ijal" -- (don't eat
'em if you're pregnant). See http://www.abc.net.au/message/tv/ms/smithysgoose.htm
for recipes.
Submitted by: No one submitted the correct answer in time.
Question of the week:
What
group of birds, mainly two species, fly from the Siberian Arctic to Roebuck
Bay in Australia (a migration of 7,500 miles) to forage on the shoreline
for rich foods in order to grow a thick layer of fat for the return migration,
all while enduring hot humid conditions and water temperatures in the 90's!
Submitted
by: Christie Kleinert
Answer: Red Knots & Great
Knots
Submitted by: Steve Collins
Question
of the week: submitted by Nyeema Harris: What
family of birds have 2 outermost toes that are reversible? They can be
pointed forward for hanging or backward for grasping. And are endemic to
Africa.
Answer: submitted by Danny Breckenridge
The Coliidae or mousebird family is endemic
to Africa with six species. Two of its toes are
reversible, which means that they can
be turned foward or backward, also known as pamprodactyl.
January 27, 2003
Question
of the week: submitted by Mike Anderson. What
flying bird can reach the fastest speed?
Answer: submitted by Alisha Hunt
Peregrine Falcon (Falco Peregrinus) Description:
Medium to large sized falconwith long, tapered, pointed wings. Wingspan
42". Adult blue, immature dark brown. Occurrence:
Nests on cliff ledges, usually seen perched
on high cliffs. Peregrine Falcons hunt by stooping onprey (mostly birds)
at high speed... sometimes as fast as 200 mph.
Question of the week: submitted by Sabrina Taylor. What
is the only nocturnal frugivorous bird in the world?
Answer: submitted by Nyeema Harris
Steatornis caripensisis, the Oilbird, Guacharos,
or Diablotin (Common names are
not always standardized outside of North
America, so it is best in many countries to use
the latin name, although sometimes even
they are not standardized), a member of the
Caprimulgiformes, is the only nocturnal
fruit eating bird in the world. It is found in
Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia and Trinidad. It navigates in the
dark by echo-location, using its eyes
when there is adequate light. It nests in caves and
has been cited as a keystone species for
spreading the seeds of many tree species in
some tropical forests.
Question of the week: submitted by Nyeema Harris. What
flightless New Zealand native, which is under intense conservation pressure,
is the heaviest species of parrot?
Answer:
The Kakapo is the world's heaviest parrot, with cock birds weighing in
from around 3.5 Kilograms - heavier than many chickens found in supermarket
freezers. Unfortunately, this parrot still exists in very low numbers (fewer
than 100). In recent years, with man's assistance, the world's population
has increased dramatically from it's low of 50 in 1991.
Congratulations to: Sabrina Taylor
Question of the week: One of the world's oldest
living wild birds is marking its golden jubilee by preparing to breed again.
A far-flying gull-like seabird -- was probably born in 1952 and is thought
to have clocked up about five million miles in the air. First ringed by
ornithologists in 1957, the bird's journeys were made while migrating between
Britain and South America. Name this bird. (Lloyd Goode)
Answer: The manx shearwater
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: What is the Order, Family,
and Species of the bird in this photograph?
Answer: Coraciiformes, Meropidae, little bee eater
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: This bird is the smallest
living bird on the planet
Answer: The bee hummingbird of Cuba measures just 2.5 inches long and weighs less than one-tenth of an ounce.
Congratulations to: Lloyd Goode
Question of the week: This bird makes himself
comfortable in the air, it's the only duck known to scratch itself in flight.
Answer: The green-winged teal
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: Many absurd tales are told
of this bird, which at the present day would only create a smile. It is
said that if a person happens to espy her nest, and the bird observe them,
that she will transport her eggs to some other place. Name this bird.
(Lloyd Goode)
Answer: The Dodo bird
Congratulations to: Tiffany Beachy
Question of the week: Name the two birds of prey
that have an average length of 5.5-6 inches, including a 2 inch tail, and
weigh approximately 1.25 ounces. (Lloyd Goode)
Answer: The
black-legged falconet(Micrphierax fringlius) of Southeast Asia and the
white fronted or Bornean falconet(M. latifrons)
of northwestern Borneo both
have an average lenth of 5.5-6 inches,
a 2 inch tail, and weigh approximately
1.25 ounces.
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: In the Arab world the shells
of this birds eggs are said to have magical powers and used on roofs of
Muslim homes or Egyptian Orthodox churches to
deflect lightning.
Question of the week: This bird was the world's
largest flying land bird, ever. It had a wing
span of 16 to 17
feet, and its fossil record dates back to 60 million years ago. Its latin
name translates to mean "Unbelievable Bird Monster". Name that Bird Monster.
(Scott Fray)
Answer: Teratornis incredibilis was the world's largest flying land bird, ever. It had a wing span of 16 to 17 feet, and its fossil record dates back to 60 million years ago. Its latin name translates to mean "Unbelievable Bird Monster".
More recently a larger bird fossil was found. Now, the largest teratorn is the 8 million year old Argentavis maqnificens, which stood 5 to 6 feet tall, weighed about 160 pounds or more, with a 25 foot wing span (Campbell). Teratorns were more reptile like than eagles, the mandible was designed to swallow live prey not dismember it. Teratorn feeding was probably more stork like and the talons were not designed to seize prey.
Congratulations to: Lloyd Goode
Question of the week: These birds-sometimes called
the Holy Grail of bird-watching — were the biggest of its kind in North
America, with a 30-inch wingspan. They have been
rare since the late
1800s. John James Audubon noted in the 1840s that they
were heavily hunted
for their skins. (Lloyd Goode)
Question of the week:This bird is the only species
in its family, and can be found in Africa,
south of the Sahara,
Madagascar, and parts of Arabia. In Africa, there is a legend that if this
bird lands on your house, the house will surely be struck by lightning.
The nest of this species is unique to all birds; it is a huge dome-shaped
structure that can be built to be as tall as 7 feet and as wide as 5 feet.
It can weigh up to 400 pounds. A human could dance an Irish jig on the
roof of this nest without damaging the structure. It takes 3 to 4 months
to build this nest and when construction comes to an end, the birds will
decorate the nest with unusual items, such as feathers, snake-skins, old
pots, and plastic trash. Name this bird.
Answer: The Hammerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Congratulations to: Amberlyn Hall
Question of the week: What is thought to
be the most abundant bird species in the world?
Answer: The bird species that is thought to be the most abundant in the world is Wilson's Storm Petrel
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: How much did the
largest species of the extinct Moas weigh?
Answer:
The
largest of the extinct moas, the Giant Moa, weighed about 250 kg
Congratulations to: Elizabeth Gilbert
Question of the week: This bird can be
found in Australia and New Guinea. Males have a unique method of
attracting mates through the elaborate decoration of their shelters with
various brightly colored items. They often choose items that match
the hue of their plumage. This particular habit is what led manufacturers
to dicontinue using blue plastic milk bottle tops, as the discarded rings
posed a threat to these birds and could get caught around their necks.
Name this bird!
Answer: Satin bower bird - Ptilinorhynchus violaceus
The bower bird gets its name from the thatched structure (bower) built by the male as part of its courtship rituals. The bird defends a court or platform where it builds a bower and spends most of its time displaying and titivating. The bower is constructed in the undergrowth from twigs and coarse grass, and may be as much as 3 feet across and several inches thick.
Adjacent to the bower, usually at the entrance, is a platform on which is placed a collection of coloured displaythings. The Satin Bower Bird has a preference for blue objects that match its own blue, satin-like plumage. Before Europeans arrived these consisted mainly of flowers, berries and feathers, but since then the Bird has had a field day with the caps of ball-point pens, crockery, rubber, clothing, paper, pegs and bottle tops.
Congratulations to: Katie Webb
Question of the week: This LARGE (20 to 34 pound)
bird is endangered due to shootings. It's low reproductive capacity has
hampered efforts to rebuild populations. This bird only lays one egg every
two years. Human history includes beliefs that this bird carried the sun
into the sky each morning, and that by eating its eyes a human would gain
the excellent visual capacity of this bird. What is the name of this bird?
(Scott Fray)
Answer: Andean Condor - Vultur gryphus
The Andean Condor is the largest bird of prey in the world. It does not reach sexual maturity until between seven and eleven years of age. This very large bird is usually seen in the air in numbers ranging from one to sixty or more. Its range is now reduced to parts of Peru and east Columbia with small numbers in north Columbia, north Venezuela and cliffs in Patagonia. They roost and nest in the mountains, although not usually above 18,000 feet (5,500 metres).
Congratulations to: Andria Temple
Question of the week: What bird lays the largest
egg in proportion to its own body size and in what part of the world would
we find this bird?
(1) Gill, Frank B. Ornithology. 1995. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York
Answer: The Brown Kiwi (Apteryx australis) lays the largest egg in proportion to it's body size. "It lays two, sometimes three, 500 gram eggs, each of which is 25 percent of the females own mass: it lays these enormous eggs at 4 week intervals (1)". It is endemic to New Zealand.
Congratulations to: Elizabeth R. Gilbert,
Lloyd Goode, and Andy Plumley