Furry, Feathered or Something Else Quiz

Answer: Furry

The eastern gray squirrel (grey squirrel outside North America) as this creature with the big bushy tail is known, is a frequent visitor to my garden, looking for seeds or stealing nuts and other goodies from neighbouring bird feeders. Both black and grey squirrels come visiting, though my research tells me they are all Sciurus carolinensus, with the black ones simply a variation in colour.

Answer: Furry

Better known as the eastern cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus floridanus is found not only in Ontario, but in many parts of Canada and the United States. It likes grassy areas or areas with some bushes and shrubs, and feeds mostly on vegetation of one sort or another - including garden vegetables when they find them.

The ones I've seen in my yard have brownish fur and will stop and be completely still if they sense my presence - which is great for taking photos of them.

Answer: Furry

This is the raccoon, that cheeky chap with the mask around his eyes, that can be found in city and countryside alike. I actually saw more of them when I lived in the big city (Toronto) than I have in the smaller municipality where I now live. They will eat almost anything, and have been known to forage in garbage bins in built up areas, as was brought home to me the day I startled one when I was putting out the garbage.

Indeed, we startled each other!

Answer: Furry

Like the grey squirrel, the eastern chipmunk is of the family Sciuridae but of the genus Tamias, not Sciurus. Chipmunks have quite tiny tails compared to their bushy-tailed cousins, are usually brown with dark and light stripes on their backs, accounting for the "striatus" part of their name, perhaps.

These cute little fellows don't mind climbing trees, but construct underground burrows, and like the cover of bushes and piles of wood. They eat nuts, seeds, insects etc. and are known to carry food in cheek pouches, giving them the appearance of having the mumps!

Answer: Furry

Better known as the striped skunk, this black and white creature is one that many of us try to steer clear of if we encounter one in the wild, due to its defensive ability to exude an unpleasant odor when disturbed. They feed mostly on insects, but also eat worms and sometimes berries and other vegetable matter.

Answer: Feathered

The cardinal, or to be more specific the Northern cardinal, provides a flash of red to brighten the dullest winter day, as it spends all year in southern Ontario, and most of the US as well. The male is all red, with a distinctive crest, while the female is more of a dull brown, with reddish hints in the crest and wings. Cardinals mate for life, and both male and female sing their distinctive song.

Answer: Feathered

Blue jays can be quite cheeky birds, and have been known to tap on patio doors demanding their daily feed of peanuts. I have witnessed this behaviour myself! It would be hard to describe their raucous call as "song" and it is not easy to ignore. Members of the family Corvidae, these crested birds with bright blue feathers can be found year round in most of the eastern USA and Canada.

Answer: Feathered

If you have ever heard its sad cooing, you will know why this bird is called a mourning dove. They are rather pretty, dun-coloured birds who are related to pigeons as members of the Columbidae family. They are common in my part of southern Ontario, and much of the US as well. I was treated to the sight of a courting pair ruffling their feathers and preening in my back yard a short while ago.

Answer: Feathered

This is the North American robin, not to be confused with the European robin (Erithacus rubecula), though they each have red breasts. It was this shared colouring that led to the North American bird being called "robin", in fact. T. migratorius is larger than its European cousin, and a member of the thrush family. Spotting a robin in my part of Canada is seen as a sign of Spring.

Answer: Feathered

The cute little black-capped chickadee can be found all over Canada and the northern USA, including right outside my window most days. Their calls and songs are quite complex, ranging from something sounding like "hey sweetie" to alarm calls mimicking their name: "chickadee - dee -dee!" Apparently the greater the danger, the more "dees" in the call.

Answer: Something Else

This is the seven-spotted ladybug, one of at least 13 varieties of this insect to call Canada (and most of North America) home. Growing up with an English mother, I learned to call them ladybirds, another name they go by, as well as ladybird (or bug) beetle.

They are orange with black spots, and because they eat other insects that eat plants, are considered to be beneficial, and are well enough loved to have a line of children's books named for them, as well as a nursery song telling the ladybird to fly home to look after her children (which I learned at a very young age).

Answer: Something Else

Generally considered to be a pest, the buzzing of the house fly is something everyone is familiar with, no matter where one lives. They can be found almost every place on earth that humans are found, buzzing around garbage dumps, doggy doo, picnic food or your face. The ones I know also enjoy walking across my monitor screen when I am trying to work on the computer.

Answer: Something Else

The cabbage white butterfly can be seen all over southern Ontario, and rarely sits still long enough to let me get a good photograph! As expected, it has mostly white wings, and it is fairly small. Other butterflies spotted in the neighbourhood include the occasional Monarch (Danaus plexippus) which have proved better posers for photographic purposes.

Answer: Something Else

Little black ants are members of the family Formicidae that are native to North America. As their name suggests they are quite tiny, but despite this they are every bit as industrious as their larger cousins such as carpenter ants. Ants in one's kitchen may very well be the little black variety. Outdoors they live in mounds, and they are scavengers for the most part.

Answer: Something Else

The Northern map turtle is listed as of "special concern" in Ontario and, indeed, in all of Canada. They live in bodies of slow moving water, and are known to emerge during the nesting season and engage in dangerous practices like crossing busy roads to reach their preferred nesting site. Several roads in my area display Turtle Crossing signs. Most of my own sightings of these creatures have been near roadways running alongside the local river, or, more happily, basking on rocks in the middle of that waterway.