A Bag of British Birds Trivia Quiz

Answer: Barn owl

The barn owl hunts almost entirely by sound, and the white facial "disc" acts as an aural funnel, channelling the sound of its prey with great precision. It eats mostly small mammals such as voles and shrews. Sadly, as with so many British birds, its population is falling in the wild, as a result of modern farming methods.

Answer: Tufted duck

The tuft on the back of the head is clearly visible in this picture, and is particular to the adult male. It is common on rivers and lakes throughout the UK and feeds mostly by diving beneath the surface of the water to find the aquatic insects and plants which form its main food.

Answer: Pheasant

The pheasant is a popular game bird in the UK, and the majority of those seen in the wild have been reared to be shot for sport and subsequently eaten. The shooting season for pheasants lasts from 1 October to 1 February, during which period they are (literally) fair game for hunters.

Answer: Green woodpecker

Unlike some woodpeckers, the green woodpecker actually does most of its feeding on the ground. In cities, it is especially fond of the short grass found in public parks and gardens, where it can use its long beak to hunt for ants, its main food. Like other woodpeckers, it nests in holes in trees, which it digs out with its beak.

Answer: Song thrush

The song thrush is much less common in the UK than it used to be, especially in the countryside, where modern farming methods have had a serious effect on its habitat. It can still fortunately be seen in gardens and parks, breaking the shells of snails by bashing them against stones with its beak.

Answer: Dipper

Properly known as the European or white-throated dipper, it has the unusual habit for a passerine or perching bird of feeding by walking or diving into the water to feed on shrimps, insect larvae and similar creatures.

Answer: Magpie

The magpie is actually one of the most intelligent bird species, and is believed to be the only non-mammal that is able to recognise its own reflection in a mirror. It also has a somewhat undeserved reputation as a thief, as demonstrated by a tendency to pick up and hoard shiny objects.

Answer: Grey heron

The grey heron feeds mostly on fish, frogs and other small water creatures, including the young of other water birds. Its grey and white plumage helps it to blend into the shadows while it stands stock-still, waiting for its prey to make an unwise move.

Answer: Yes

Although the ring-necked parakeet originated in Africa and Asia, since the 1970s feral populations have become common in parts of London, especially the areas south of the River Thames. The largest flocks can number several thousand individual birds, although most groups are smaller than that.

There are numerous stories about their origins, the most likely being that they are birds from aviaries that have escaped and adapted successfully to the English climate.

Answer: Cuckoo

The cuckoo is a summer visitor to the UK, and is notorious for its habit of laying its eggs in the nests of other birds. A female cuckoo will lay a single egg in the nest of the host bird (having removed an existing egg first). When the cuckoo chick hatches, it will push out the other eggs or chicks, so that it gets all the attention of the host bird.