British Birds - Famous Namesakes Quiz

All of these British birds have a human namesake. I'll give a brief description of a bird and a cryptic clue of their famous counterpart (some may be fictitious), you choose the correct bird.

A multiple-choice quiz by Mutchisman. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A very common small brown bird; its nest is domed and compact but it is probably not quite up to building a domed cathedral.

Answer: Wren

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) is a very common species found wherever there are bushes and high vegetation. Its domed nest is built low down, usually in a bush or tree and has a side entrance.
Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) was the architect of St Paul's Cathedral in London. The domed roof of the cathedral is a notable feature of the city's skyline.

2. A common summer visitor to Britain and one of the most aerial of all birds. This species is always on its travels so has little time to talk to Gulliver.

Answer: Swift

Swifts (Apus apus) are amongst the last summer visitors to arrive in Britain, usually arriving in early May. They spend most of their lives in the air and are amongst the fastest birds in the world in level flight.
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was an Irish writer and satirist whose best-known work is probably "Gulliver's Travels".

3. These creatures are magnificent fliers; they are not albatrosses or eagles but are definitely birdies, a type of raptor in fact.

Answer: Kite

Kites are large birds-of-prey. The only species which breeds in Britain is red kite (Milvus milvus).
Tom Kite (b 1949) is an American golfer, as of 2007 he has 19 PGA tournament victories to his name.

4. A very common bird in British gardens, slightly smaller than a sparrow and with a recognisable red breast. It is often found in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Answer: Robin

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a very familiar and friendly bird. This friendliness seems to be a trait only apparent in British robins; in parts of mainland Europe they are a shy and retiring species.
Christopher Robin is Winnie the Pooh's friend. The author of the stories, AA Milne (1882-1956), based the character on his son.

5. A family of game birds that include red-legged and grey species. A failed TV presenter working on Radio Norwich.

Answer: Partridge

The native British partridge is the grey (Perdix perdix) but the red-legged species (Alectoris rufa) is now more common.
The hapless Alan Partridge was the creation of comic Steve Coogan (b 1965). He hated his job working on a provincial radio station and was desperate to get back into the 'big time'.

6. A family of seed-eating birds, often brightly coloured, who appeared in the movie "A Town Like Alice".

Answer: Finch

There are several species of finch to be found in Britain. Perhaps the best known are chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) and greenfinch (Carduelis chloris); my favourite is the charming goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).
Peter Finch (1912-1977) was an actor whose most famous role was probably in the WWII movie about Australian POWs, "A Town Like Alice".

7. A very secretive summer visitor more often heard than seen; its beautiful song would make for a good bedside manner.

Answer: Nightingale

Nightingales (Luscinia megarhynchos) usually inhabit dense shrubland and almost always sing from cover; if they are about then their warbling song is unmistakably beautiful but catching even a glimpe of them can take much patience.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was a famous nurse in the Crimean War and did much to raise both the standard of nursing and the esteem of nurses.

8. A common large black bird noted for its intelligence. It has a raucous call, so hard to believe a female could sing so well and have several hit records, but I guess "A Change Would Do You Good"!

Answer: Crow

Crows are intelligent birds and learn new tricks from each other very quickly. Carrion crow (Corvus corone corone) is the most widespread in Britain but hooded crow (Corvus corone cornix) is also found in northern parts.
Sheryl Crow (b 1962) is a successful American singer whose hits include "A Change Would Do You Good" and "If It Makes You Happy".

9. Any male duck that circumnavigated the globe in Elizabethan times.

Answer: Drake

All male ducks of any species are known as drakes.
Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) was a sailor in the reign 0f Queen Elizabeth I; he sailed completely around the world in his ship, The Golden Hind.

10. A small falcon that is an absolute wizard at catching small birds.

Answer: Merlin

Merlin (Falco columbarius) is the smallest British raptor; it feeds mostly on small birds, especially meadow pipit and skylark.
Merlin the Wizard was the mythical magician at King Arthur's Court.

Source: Author Mutchisman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

British Birds - Famous Namesakes Quiz

All of these British birds have a human namesake. I'll give a brief description of a bird and a cryptic clue of their famous counterpart (some may be fictitious), you choose the correct bird.

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>

NEXT>