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Quiz about Extinct Birds of North America

Extinct Birds of North America Quiz

This quiz is about birds which have been declared extinct within the past 200 or so years. The reasons and dates of extinction should prove to make this an interesting quiz. Enjoy.

A multiple-choice quiz by egstrasser. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
egstrasser

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
184,418

Updated
May 25 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1124

Last 3 plays: Guest 69 (6/10), Guest 173 (4/10), Johnmcmanners (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This species of bird was the only parrot native to the eastern United States. It was considered a pest to farmers and this was one of the reasons it was hunted to extinction. Hint

Carolina parakeet

yellow-nape amazon

monk parakeet

African gray parrot

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. There were estimated populations in the billions of these pigeons in the days of Colonial America. Migratory flights were sometimes said to be about a mile wide and may have taken several hours to pass. Hint

mourning dove

rock dove

passenger pigeon

homing pigeon

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Question 3 of 10

3. This sparrow relied on a cordgrass habitat. Cordgrass only grows on a narrow strip of land near the shore. The building of the Kennedy Space Center and its infrastructure may have destroyed much of the birds' habitat in Florida. Hint

house sparrow

dusky seaside sparrow

grasshopper sparrow

song sparrow

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Question 4 of 10

4. This bird was the largest species of woodpecker in the United States. While not declared extinct, no verifiable sightings have been made for many years. Which of these is it? Hint

ivory-billed woodpecker

acorn woodpecker

downy woodpecker

pileated woodpecker

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Question 5 of 10

5. This bird was related to the prairie chicken and was (before the American Revolution) found from Maine to Virginia. The bird was found to be edible and was easy prey for hunters. This "chicken-like" bird became extinct in the 1930's. Hint

wild turkey

heath hen

blue hen

sage grouse

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Question 6 of 10

6. Large breeding colonies of these birds were seen along the Atlantic coast. A flightless seabird, it was known to be a strong swimmer. In many ways it resembled a penguin. Hint

puffin

common cormorant

albatross

great auk

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. This bird's morphology suggests it fed on shellfish and crustaceans in shallow water. Its breeding grounds were believed to be from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Labrador and north. It wintered on the Atlantic coast. Hint

Labrador duck

widgeon

eider duck

snow goose

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. This parrot was a native to the southwestern United States. As most parrots, it fed on fruit. It became a pest to farmers as it regularly foraged in cultivated areas and orchards. The bird was about 12 inches long and was seen in flocks of several hundred birds.
Hint

military macaw

monk parakeet

Louisiana parakeet

Carolina parakeet

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. This was a cavity-nesting bird and could be found in the desert. It was native to a very small area of California. Hint

cactus wren

roadrunner

house sparrow

San Clemente Bewick's wren

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Question 10 of 10

10. This bird was known to nest in the fields of Texas. The nest was built in tall grass and (similar to the ovenbird) often had a roof on it. Hint

sandhill crane

ovenbird

Texas Henslow's sparrow

whooping crane

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Nov 19 2024 : Guest 69: 6/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This species of bird was the only parrot native to the eastern United States. It was considered a pest to farmers and this was one of the reasons it was hunted to extinction.

Answer: Carolina parakeet

The Carolina parakeet is believed to have become extinct in the early 1900s. There were reports of seeing the last flock around 1920.

Answer: passenger pigeon

Martha was the last passenger pigeon. She died on September 1, 1914 at the Cincinnati Zoological Park. She was 29 years old.

Answer: dusky seaside sparrow

This bird became extinct in 1987. A captive breeding program was attempted, but failed as only 6 birds were available, and they were all males. Cross breeding with a similar species was also attempted, but failed. I remember reading this in the news.

4. This bird was the largest species of woodpecker in the United States. While not declared extinct, no verifiable sightings have been made for many years. Which of these is it?

Answer: ivory-billed woodpecker

There has been possible evidence of the ivory-billed woodpecker's existence in remote areas of the south. These reports have been investigated, but none of these findings had been confirmed and the species is listed as 'critically endangered' on the IUCN list rather than extinct.

Answer: heath hen

The last heath hen was reported being seen in 1932.

6. Large breeding colonies of these birds were seen along the Atlantic coast. A flightless seabird, it was known to be a strong swimmer. In many ways it resembled a penguin.

Answer: great auk

The great auk was slaughtered for food and bait. The eggs were also collected for food. It is believed to have become extinct around 1844.

Answer: Labrador duck

A Labrador duck was shot on Long Island, New York in 1875. This is the last known record of the species.

Answer: Louisiana parakeet

The exact cause of extinction is unknown. Habitat destruction, shooting as a pest, trapping for use as pets, all may have led to this bird's demise.

It is believed to have become extinct in the 1920s

9. This was a cavity-nesting bird and could be found in the desert. It was native to a very small area of California.

Answer: San Clemente Bewick's wren

This bird is believed to have become extinct in the early 1980s. The introduction of livestock to the island may have changed the ecology to the degree that the habitat was not suitable for this species.

10. This bird was known to nest in the fields of Texas. The nest was built in tall grass and (similar to the ovenbird) often had a roof on it.

Answer: Texas Henslow's sparrow

Habitat loss seems to have been the reason for the species' demise. The last known member of the Texas Henslow's sparrow was seen in the early 1980s.

Source: Author egstrasser

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