C-Birds Trivia Quiz

Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) is a medium-sized hawk found on the North American continent from southern Canada to Mexico. As a member of the genus Accipiter, Cooper's hawk (named in 1828 after ornithologist, William Cooper) is typical of all true hawks: agile, fast and found in wooded habitats (where they nest in taller trees with extensive canopy cover). This hawk is also known as big blue darter, chicken hawk, hen hawk, quail hawk, striker, and swift hawk.

These birds are generally 0.35m-0.45m (1.1ft-1.5ft) in length weighing 0.45kg-0.7kg (1lbs-1.5lbs) with females being larger than males. They are brown in colour with contrasting colours of blue and rust-red around noticeably rounded wing tips. Most Cooper's hawk chicks are born with yellow-green eyes that turn orange and then red as they get older. There are normally three to four fledglings per breeding season.

They prefer hunting in the early hours of the day after dawn. It is uncommon to see them in the afternoon or evening. They mostly eat smaller birds, but also prey on small mammals and, when food is scarce, reptiles and insects.

California condors are the largest bird in North America with a nine-foot (2.8m) wingspan. They are critically endangered and became extinct in the wild in 1987 before re-introduction programs commenced in the American West. (The rapid decline in the 20th-century population was due primarily to the birds ingesting lead from carcasses with bullet fragments). While four other species of condors are known, the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the last surviving in the Gymnogyps genus. It has a bulky body, but a short and wide tail, with a small head. It can reach over 1.2 m (four ft) in length and weighs between 7-10kg (15 - 21 pounds). The adults are all black with white patches under their wings, and their heads are bare with yellowish to orange colouring.

They eat carrion and can fly up to 160 miles a day to find food. It has no natural predators. Populations are low due to only one egg being laid at a time and they do not breed until they reach seven years old. They mate monogamously for their entire life. They can live up to 60 years but it is rare for them to live more than 40 years in the wild.

Cranes are part of the Gruidae family comprising three genera, Antigone, Balearica, and Grus all of which comprise 15 species of large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. They are often confused with (unrelated) herons but are easily distinguished by how they fly: cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back like herons.

Cranes are large birds and are often considered the world's tallest flying birds. They range in size from the smaller demoiselle crane, (90 cm 35 in) in length, to the sarus crane, which can be up to 180 cm (72 in) in length. In Australia, cranes are called brolgas (an indigenous name) but this refers to one particular species (Antigone rubicunda) endemic to Australia. (There is one other crane species in Australia - the sarus crane but it is uncommon). Cranes are omnivores that eat small rodents, bird eggs, fish, amphibians, insects, seeds and berries.

Plumage varies by species. They are highly social birds that live in flocks (when not breeding) and mate for life. Some are migratory some are not. Those that do migrate, can fly as high as 26,000 feet off the ground, making them at risk for airplane strikes.

There are three species of Cardinalis, which is a genus of birds in the family Cardinalidae. These three species of cardinals are found from southern Canada south to northern South America. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is found from Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia through Maine to Texas and throughout Mexico. The desert cardinal (Cardinalis sinuatus) is found in southwest USA and woodland parts of Mexico. The vermillion cardinal (Cardinalis phoeniceus) is found in Colombia and Venezuela. Species in sub-tropical and tropic areas do not migrate while most in the United States and Canada migrate south for the winter.

All species are between 19-22cm (8-9 in) in length with distinguishing features such as a prominent crest and a conical bill. There is a distinct sexual dimorphism with males being predominantly red in plumage but females being predominantly grey with some red tinges.

These birds eat insects, fruit, nectar, sap, and seeds. All rely heavily on small insects during the breeding season. Their conical beaks are good for crushing seeds Most forage on the lower branches of trees or the ground.

A crow is the name of a bird from the genus Corvus of which there are approximately 40 species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any particular species but is a general term for larger species of crows.

Scientific evidence leans towards Australia as the place of origin for the first crows 27- 30 million years ago. However, It was not until these birds migrated to other parts of the world (they have a worldwide distribution), that they began to evolve and diversify into the many species in the contemporaneous world. As they had large brains and wings, crows were able to fine-tune their skills for hunting and habitation, so that they were able to find food and shelter anywhere. Crows are easily identified, at least to genus level, as they all have sleek solid black feathers, black eyes, a black beak, and dark legs. All species are quite large being 48-60cm (16-24 in) in length but their 0.9m (36 in) wingspan means they prefer to fly in open areas. Crows have an omnivorous diet. They will eat almost anything at any time but prefer insects, seeds, fruit, and carrion including human scraps.

Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family which includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners and coucals. There are 150 species within 33 genera. Better known in folklore than for any distinctive ornithological characteristics, cuckoos are generally unremarkable looking medium-sized birds with little distinctive colouring and only a small amount of sexual dimorphism. A key differentiating attribute is that all cuckoos have zygodactyl feet, which means their two inner toes point forward while their two outer two point toward the rear of their body. Cuckoos are named after their call.

They have a reputation for laying their eggs in other birds' nests and then delegating any subsequent parenting responsibilities, which is known as brood parasitism. This goes further as the cuckoo egg hatches earlier than the 'true' eggs and the cuckoo chick grows faster. The bigger cuckoo chick will then evict the host eggs or chicks. The reason for the cuckoo egg hatching first is that the female cuckoo holds her egg in her oviduct (which is 3-4 degrees higher than the nest temperature) for another 24 hours before laying resulting in the earlier hatching. Only about a third of cuckoo species exhibit brood parasitism.

The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a species of penguin that inhabits rocky islands and shores in the southern oceans near the Antarctic landmass. Together with the Adelie and gentoo penguins, these are the three species in this genus. Its name is derived from the narrow black band under its white lower head. With a black upper head, it appears as if it is wearing a black helmet. No other penguin has this feature. In the past, it has been called ringed penguin, bearded penguin, and stonecracker penguin. The last moniker is due to its loud, harsh, strident call.

The chinstrap penguin is the most aggressive of all penguins despite its modest size: 67-75 cm (27-30 in) and weight of 3-5 kg (7-12 lb). Males are larger than females. It is the most common penguin. on Zavodovski Island in the South Atlantic Ocean (5x5km or 3x3 mi) where there is a single colony of an estimated 1.2 million breeding pairs. They eat fish and prawns but mainly krill. They are carnivores so do not eat seaweed or sea plants. Every April, the krill migrate north to warmer waters with less ice so the chinstraps will follow. Chinstraps, like most penguins, swim to eat. They can swim up to 30 km/h or 20 mph. They need this speed to catch their prey and likewise evade predators like leopard seals, killer whales and sharks.

The female lays two eggs normally in November. Eggs are hatched by the mother and the monogamous father who both share the 37-day incubation period in shifts of five to ten days. The baby chick will stay with its parents for about a month and then team up with a group of chicks the same age.

The chickadees are a group of birds in the family Paridae included in the genus Poecile. They are found across the North American continent. Elsewhere in the world, birds in the same genus are called tits. They are very small birds, measuring 2.5-4.5 inches (6-14cm), and are named after their call: "Fee-bee" is their normal call but "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" call is the sound of an alarm. The number of "dees" specifies the predator. They prefer open woodland and build a new nest each year. They feed on seeds.

There are seven species in this genus and a further eight species of tits. Pictured is the black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) which is the official bird for the American states of Massachusetts and Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick.

The scientific name of the common yellowthroat is Geothlypis trichas which has Greek roots and means 'ground bird'. It is the name of the single genus within the Parulidae family which comprises New World warblers. These small birds, the size of a sparrow, are found all over North America, particularly in marshes and wetlands. As their scientific name implies they stay close to the ground, and have a battery of tools to evade predators. Their nests are built on the ground or a few inches above it in small trees on floodplains.

These birds have distinctive colouring: The male common yellowthroat has a black mask, which is edged in white above it, and has bright yellow plumage on its underside. This bird has an olive-brown upper body, a bright yellow throat and under its tail it is also yellow. Its tail is short and usually cocked upright. It has black eyes, pink legs and feet, and a long, pointed black bill. The species is sexually dimorphic - females do not have the black mask, are browner overall and the yellow-coloured plumage is less intense than that of the males.

Their diet consists of insects and corresponding larvae that they can catch mainly on the ground. When they catch food in the air, they dart and quickly catch their prey, then make a quick retreat to the cover of dense vegetation.

Common buzzards live in Europe, Africa, and Asia but will migrate as far as South Africa in winter. Buzzards and vultures are considered the same bird in North America they are in the same genus but the diet is different. Vultures usually only eat carrion.

The common buzzard (Buteo buteo - buteo means hawk) is a medium-to-large bird of prey They are 15-60 cm (15-22 inches) long and weigh 600-1500 g (1-3 pounds) with a wingspan ranging from 1.1-1.4 m (42-53 inches). They are sometimes called 'tourist eagles' because many tourists who see one, believe they have spotted an eagle, possibly due to the shape of the beak. Males usually weigh less than females. Their feathers are a mixture of dark brown, light brown, and white. Common buzzards live in Europe, Africa, and Asia. They are raptors or birds of prey - they eat other birds, reptiles, rodents, and carrion if food is scarce. Clever birds, they can stamp their feet on the ground to attract worms to the surface to eat them. They are solitary birds but form monogamous pairs to raise chicks.

Though it is a raptor, it has predators such as eagles, wildcats, and foxes.

The cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) is a small parrot and is endemic to Australia, found in the wetter areas of the inland Australian bushland. It has been attributed as a small cockatoo (see next question) and a parakeet but it is neither. After molecular studies, it has been assigned to its own subfamily, Nymphicinae. They are common pets, second in popularity only to the budgerigar, another Australian native.

The cockatiel's long tail feathers comprise half of its total length of 30 to 33 cm (12 to 13 in). Its plumage is mainly grey with white sprays on the outer edges of its wings. The male's is yellow or white, differentiating it from the female face which is primarily grey or light grey. Other colouration combinations have been possible through breeding programs of pet owners.

Cockatiels have a distinctive crest that expresses mood: vertical when the cockatiel is excited, diagonal in its neutral state, and flat close to the head when the bird is angry. Cockatiels can be taught to sing and synchronise their melodies with human songs. Some can be taught to speak words and even phrases. They also have the ability to imitate environmental sounds when repeated often enough. The author's pet cockatiel could imitate the sound of the garbage truck emptying the rubbish bin into the collection part of the truck!

Cockatoos are a group of parrots belonging to the family Cacatuidae. These true parrots (Psittacoidea) and New Zealand Parrots (Strigopoidea), comprise the order Psittaciformes.

Cockatoos are found in Australia, New Guinea and the southern parts of the Philippines and the eastern parts of Indonesia. Unlike other parrots, they are less colourful, being either white black or grey with colour limited to the crest, cheeks or tail. They are generally larger than other parrots. Cockatoos are distinguished by their prominent crests and curved bills. Cockatoos are seed eaters.

The sulphur-crested cockatoo (pictured) is the species most familiar to Australians as they are found in urban areas, are very intelligent and are often kept as pets. Their natural range is coastal Australia from northeast Western Australia eastward to Queensland and south to Tasmania. They have been introduced into Perth, Singapore and New Zealand.

This species of cockatoo is 44-55 cm (17-21 in) long. They have a raucous call which when together in a flock - this can be deafening. The yellow crest and black bill differentiate it from other species. They are adept at opening garbage bins to obtain food and can dance to music.
They can live for up to seventy years in captivity and forty years in the wild.