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Birds of Southern Europe Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz on southern European birds. Several of these birds can also be found elsewhere, but I guarantee you can see them all in my home country, Portugal. Enjoy

A multiple-choice quiz by aearluin. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
aearluin

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
188,292

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
479

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This endangered bird is one of the heaviest in the world. You can find it in the man-made cereal steppes of southern Europe, but also in the natural steppes of Ukraine and other eastern countries. Which bird is it? Hint

Ostrich

Great bustard

Sandgrouse

Spanish imperial eagle

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Question 2 of 10

2. This is another steppe land bird. This small bird of prey is considered vulnerable by the IUCN, although it's very similar to a rather common species. Small body, transparent claws and a brown unspotted back in the males are three characters that should give it away. Which bird is it? Hint

Booted eagle

Lesser kestrel

Montagu's harrier

Peregrine falcon

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Question 3 of 10

3. These birds are black and you find them by the sea. You can distinguish them from their white-faced cousins by the small crest that becomes obvious during the breeding season. Which bird is it? Hint

Great cormorant

Sooty shearwater

Black gull

Shag

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Question 4 of 10

4. I have a long tail, a dark cap and bluish wings, and you can find me in cork oak woodlands. Which bird am I? Hint

Azure-winged magpie

Waxbill

Blue jay

European roller

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Question 5 of 10

5. How many species of kingfishers can you find in southern Europe? Hint

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which birds can you find in Africa, trailing elephants and buffaloes, but also in Europe following grazing cows and sheep? Hint

Snowy owl

Purple heron

Great white pelican

Cattle egret

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Question 7 of 10

7. Can you find weaver birds in Portuguese wetlands?

Yes

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Question 8 of 10

8. These birds breed in northern Europe but can be found wintering in southern Europe. They have a black and white plumage and search for worms in estuarine mudflats with their recurved bills. Which bird is it? Hint

Dunlin

Avocet

Pied flycatcher

Black-headed gull

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which Spanish protected area is the most important south-European wetland, and where you can find most of the birds that occur in southern Europe? Hint

Guadiana Valley Natural Park

Do�ana National Park

Delta de L'Ebre Natural Park

Castro Verde Special Protection Area

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which biogeographical region does southern Europe fit into? Hint

Afrotropical

Walacia

Nearctic

Western Palearctic

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Great bustard

The great bustard (Otis tarda) is considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. The main threat to this species is the loss of its steppe habitat, which also supports several other avian species.

Answer: Lesser kestrel

The lesser kestrel is quite similar to the common kestrel, which can be seen nesting in city buildings.

Answer: Shag

The shag is a small cormorant. It's usually found by the sea, resting on cliffs or rocky islands.

4. I have a long tail, a dark cap and bluish wings, and you can find me in cork oak woodlands. Which bird am I?

Answer: Azure-winged magpie

This bird is found in cork oak areas in the southern parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Curiously, there is a very similar species in China that is thought to be a different population of the same species. Studies are on the way to explain how this came to be.

5. How many species of kingfishers can you find in southern Europe?

Answer: 1

The only species of kingfisher you can find in Europe is the common Alcedo atthis, which is spread across most of the continent.

6. Which birds can you find in Africa, trailing elephants and buffaloes, but also in Europe following grazing cows and sheep?

Answer: Cattle egret

These birds are mostly white, but develop rusty/orange plumage during the breeding season. They follow grazing herbivores and even farm tractors, searching for small invertebrates in the soil.

7. Can you find weaver birds in Portuguese wetlands?

Answer: Yes

Although indigenous to Africa, the black-headed weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus) was introduced in Portugal, probably originating from birds that escaped from cages. It is now common, breeding in several wetlands near Lisbon.

Answer: Avocet

In some years, about 50% of the European wintering population of this species stays at the Tagus estuary in central Portugal.

9. Which Spanish protected area is the most important south-European wetland, and where you can find most of the birds that occur in southern Europe?

Answer: Do�ana National Park

This park is in southern Spain. There you can find an incredible diversity of birds, as well as amphibians, reptiles and mammals. It is also home to some of the last individuals of the Iberian Lynx, a critically endangered species, which is the most endangered feline in the world.

10. Which biogeographical region does southern Europe fit into?

Answer: Western Palearctic

Europe and North Africa are part of the Western Palearctic, with the Sahara desert function as the border between this region and the Afrotropical bioregion. The Nearctic is North America, and Walacia is the area that forms the border between the Oriental and the Australasian bioregions.

Source: Author aearluin

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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