There are two species of the long-lived fulmars, the southern and the northern fulmar, living in their respective temperate bands. They look a bit like gulls but are petrels and can be distinguished by their stiff-winged flight and tube noses. Nesting on cliffs, one of their defensive measures is to vomit a fishy-smelling oil at a nearby threat.
When the St Kilda archipelago was inhabited, the northern fulmar was central to the economy, providing meat, oil, feathers, eggs and medicine. The range of the northern species increased during the 20th century, which was attributed to widespread offal from commercial fisheries rather than the abandonment of St Kilda by people and hence reduced predation.
2. fieldfare
Answer: aerial
A member of the thrush family, the fieldfare is a migratory omnivorous bird living across the Palaearctic in woodland and scrubland. It winters in the UK, southern Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. It rarely breeds in the UK, preferring more northerly and easterly regions. Often nesting in small colonies, large flocks (often with redwings) are formed when migrating and overwintering.
It is a social bird.
3. firethroat
Answer: aerial
Found in western China, breeding in Sichuan and wintering in the Indian subcontinent, this passerine bird is an Old World flycatcher with names such as firethroat, David's rubythroat and Père David's orangethroat. The Catholic priest Armand David was first to formally describe it. As its various names suggest, the male's throat is eye-catching. The female is plain brown and difficult to distinguish from the females of the Indian and the Siberian blue robins, which may overlap ranges at times. It prefers temperate forest terrain.
4. flamecrest
Answer: aerial
Endemic to Taiwanese mountains, the flamecrest or Taiwanese firecrest (Regulus goodfellowi) is the smallest of Taiwan's endemic species and smallest of the kinglet family. Its name reflects the orange-yellow crest on top of a black crown. It also has black eye-patches.
These songbirds mostly eat insects and their larvae, energetically flitting around the canopy of coniferous forests at altitudes ranging from 2,000 - 3,600 m (6,600 - 11,800 ft) on several mountains in Taiwan.
5. fierasfer
Answer: aquatic
The name fierasfer is the common name for several fish as well as being part of a scientific name. One such fish is Carapus acus, a bony fish of the Carapidae family (also known as pearlfishes) found in the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
This fierasfer has the unusual habit of living inside a sea cucumber. It is not particularly choosy, inserting itself inside any of several species of sea cucumber. Its anus is just behind its head which pokes outside the sea cucumber making it relatively easy to avoid contaminating its host with faecal matter.
6. flagtail
Answer: aquatic
The flagtails are a family of around 12 species in the Kuhlia genus. These fish are found in the Indo-Pacific area, some in just marine areas, some in fresh water only but most cope with different salinities. Schooling during the day, they disperse to hunt smaller fish and crustaceans at night.
As their common names suggests, they have distinctive tails. Another with a distinctive tail is the flag-tailed prochilodus, kissing prochilodus (Semaprochilodus insignis) or just flagtail, an Amazonian freshwater fish sometimes used as an aquarium fish despite its potential adult size.
7. flathead
Answer: aquatic
Related to lionfish, flatheads are a family of marine fish known as the Platycephalidae. There are around 70 species in the family. Most are found in the Indo-Pacific and have flat heads. No surprise there. They are a popular sports fish in Australia and commonly eaten, with some species growing to a metre (3.3ft) and 18kg (40lb) in weight.
Their hunting strategy is based on their shape, being wide and low in height. They cover themselves in sand, leaving their eyes protruding, and wait for a suitable prey such as a small fish or prawn to drift by.
Their lunge is combined with a bit of suction to improve their catch rates. They also have some venom-tipped spikes on their head.
8. flier
Answer: aquatic
The sunfish species Centrarchus macropterus is endemic to the southern USA on the east coast side, from the Potomac River in Maryland to the Trinity River in Texas. Its common name is the flier and is the only species in its genus. As a freshwater fish, it is found in a variety of clear, acidic waters including swamp ponds, oxbow lakes, and slow-flowing streams.
Their preferred environment is heavily vegetated and with a water temperature of 23 to 29 deg C (73 to 84 deg F). They are carnivorous and can be confused with other fish such as the crappies, also of the sunfish family.
9. fossa
Answer: terrestrial
The fossa is one of ten carnivores species endemic to Madagascar and belonging to the family Eupleridae. The fossa is the largest of the ten and is a bit like a small cougar with a mongoose head. It has evolved features in common with three other carnivoran families such as tooth shape and facial features.
It is active at irregular times during the day and night. Food-wise, lemurs make up half of its diet and the fossa is the lemur's main predator. The largest lemur can be as much as 90% of the weight of the fossa. Normally hunting as individuals, during the breeding season they may pair up with one chasing lemurs out of trees for the other to take down. Mother and young may also hunt as a pack.
10. fisher
Answer: terrestrial
Another carnivorous mammal, the fisher is native to North America and is a member of the mustelid family, the sole survivor of the Pekania genus. It is sometimes called a fisher cat, however it is not a cat but related to the American and Pacific martens. Trapped for their fur from the 18th century, they became extinct in parts of their historical range. Fisher farming (for their pelt) proved difficult due to the unusual reproductive cycle which lasts about a year with a ten-month pause after mating before active gestation begins.
Snowshoe hares and porcupines are their main diet, although supplementing this with insects, berries and mushrooms has been known. Despite its name, fish does not appear to be part of its diet. The name may come from an Old French name (via Dutch colonists) for the European polecat or its pelt. The forest floor is the fisher's preferred habitat. Males are about double the size of females.
11. fer-de-lance
Answer: terrestrial
There are a few common names for the extremely venomous snake Bothrops asper, a species of pit viper found in Central America and some northern areas of South America. The fer-de-lance ('lancehead') is also known as terciopelo ('velvet'), barba amarilla ('yellow beard'), nauyaca ('four noses') and equis (the letter 'x'), amongst others.
The largest of the pit vipers, it can reach 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length and weigh up to 6 kg (13 lb), with the females being the larger. Due to the variation in phenotype across their range, they can be confused with other species. Food-wise, their preference moves from cold-blooded animals as juveniles to the warm-blooded in adulthood, although they will take either in opportunistic kills.
12. firebrat
Answer: terrestrial
The firebrat (Thermobia domestica), also known as the bristletail for the three long bristles at the back of the bodies, is a small wingless insect with a preference for warm temperatures and humidity. It is found in homes near boilers, ovens, fireplaces and hot water pipes.
It differs from its close relative, the silverfish, being darker and having a need for high humidity. Nocturnally active, firebrats feast on starchy foods such as wallpaper, book bindings and cardboard food packaging. They are also known to eat dry pet food and natural fibres found in clothing.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
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