Answers to the feeder-bird quiz!

American Robins locate earthworms by a. sight   According to Project Feederwatch data, this is the most commonly reported bird at bird feeders in North America c. Dark-eyed Junco What term is used to describe birds that usually spend their winters in remote northern areas but fly further south when their food supply has dwindled? (Hint: it is often used to describe winter finches and red-breasted nuthatches.) d. irruptive What disease has been recently spreading among House Finches and American Goldfinches in the eastern United States? b. Conjunctivitis What aggressive and noisy feeder bird was introduced to North America in the late 1800’s as part of one man’s plan to have all of the birds in Shakespeare’s works living in Central Park in New York City? a. European Starling These birds have a black cap and a white underside. They creep up and down tree trunks hiding their food in crevices. b. White-breasted Nuthatch These are the smaller of the two most common birds of prey to be seen at feeders. a. Sharp-shinned Hawk You should use this kind of seed to best attract small finches to your feeder. b. niger (thistle) Woodpeckers are especially fond of this type of food at feeders. c. suet How often should you clean your feeder? c. once every two weeks What proportions of sugar to boiling water should you use when making hummingbird food? c. four parts water to one part sugar When counting birds for Project FeederWatch, you should NOT count: d. birds that just pass through or above your yard This feeder bird was recently split into 2 species, one in the East and one in the West. b. Rufous-sided Towhee This feeder bird has a special pouch in its throat where it stores seed for a few hours. An adaptation to the cold climates this bird inhabits, this pouch allows the bird to feed rapidly and then digest some seed later while resting in a sheltered spot. d. Common Redpoll The brightness of the red color in a House Finch’s plumage is largely determined by: d. certain types of wild foods in their diet Which of the following is TRUE about the behavior of American goldfinches? b. females tend to migrate further south than males The roots of the tongues of many species of woodpecker reach: b. around the back of the skull, over the top of the skull and into an area right behind the right eyeball This bird loves to eat berries. It is crested and has a black mask, a gray belly, wings with yellow spots and a yellow-tipped tail. d. Bohemian Waxwing