Spread Your Wings Trivia Quiz

Answer: trumpeter swan

A native of North America, the trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) is slightly larger than its Eurasian counterpart, the whooper swan, and the heaviest of the waterfowl. Its wingspan can reach 2.75 m (9 ft). Trumpeter swans live and breed in wetland areas, away from human habitation. Adults are all white, with a black, wedge-shaped bill; their deep, honking call sounds like a trumpet. Very powerful fliers in spite of their weight, they breed mostly in northwestern North America, especially in Alaska, and in the winter migrate as far south as Colorado. Though nearly extinct by the beginning of the 20th century, the trumpeter swan has been successfully reintroduced in parts of its original range after several thousand specimens were found in Alaska in the 1950s.

Answer: wandering albatross

The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is found in the Southern Ocean. It has the largest wingspan of any living bird, with the largest recorded specimens having a wingspan of about 3.7 m (12.2 ft). Wandering albatrosses are well known for their extensive flights all around their range (hence their name).

In the early days of the exploration of the vast expanses of the Southern Ocean, these birds often followed ships for days, and their presence came to be considered a good omen. English Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge based the pivotal episode of his ballad, "The Rime on the Ancient Mariner" (1798), on this belief.

When the titular mariner kills an albatross with his crossbow, the ship is becalmed in the middle of the ocean, and the rest of the crew hang the dead bird around his neck as a symbol of his guilt.

Answer: marabou stork

The marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) is a wading bird of sub-Saharan Africa that can reach a height of 1.52 m (5 ft). It has a huge bill (up to 35 cm/13.8 in), and its wingspan can exceed 3 m (9.8 ft). Its black, cloak-like wings, skinny legs and bald, white head have earned it the nickname of "undertaker bird". Though it occasionally eats live animals, such as fish, frogs, small mammals and other birds, the marabou stork feeds mainly on carrion - as indicated by his naked head and neck. It also feeds on garbage, and is often found near landfills.

In spite of the bird's rather unsavoury habits, marabou down is often used as a trimming for glamorous items of clothing, such as the iconic mules worn by Marilyn Monroe in "The Seven Year Itch".

Answer: bearded vulture

Named after the bristly feathers under its chin, the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) breeds and lives in high mountainous areas of Southern Europe, Asia and Eastern Africa. Its feathered head and neck distinguish it from true vultures, which are bald-headed; the span of its long, narrow wings can reach almost 3 m (9.8 ft).

The bearded vulture's preferred food is bone marrow rather than meat, and the acid in its digestive system can digest even the strongest bones. It has also learned to crack large bones by dropping them on rocks while in flight - a practice that has earned it the name of "ossifrage" (bone-breaker).

This fierce-looking bird is also known as lammergeier ("lamb vulture" in German), as it was believed it attacked lambs.

Answer: great bustard

The male of the great bustard (Otis tarda) can reach a weight of 18 kg (40 lbs), and a wingspan of 2.7 m (8.10 ft). Females are considerably smaller in size and weight. A denizen of Eurasian grasslands and steppes, the great bustard has been hunted out of existence in large parts of its original range (as in the UK and Scandinavia), and the species is therefore classified as vulnerable.

The great bustard is the national bird of Hungary, where it is actively protected. The Latin name "tarda" (slow) given to this species refers to its typical walking style.

Answer: harpy eagle

The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) is one of the largest species of eagles in the world. Compared to other eagles, the harpy has relatively short wings (1.76-2.25 m/5.9-7.4 ft) because of its forest habitat. It has, however, the longest talons of any eagle species, and powerful feet which allow it to lift prey as heavy as itself.

Its head, paler than the rest of the body, bears a distinctive double crest. The harpy eagle feeds primarily on tree-dwelling mammals, such as monkeys and sloths. It is most common in Brazil (where it is called "gavião-real"), while deforestation has caused it to become almost extinct in Central America.

It is the national bird of Panama, on whose coat of arms it is depicted.

Answer: snowy owl

As its name implies, the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is a striking animal, almost pure white in colour, with yellow eyes and a black beak, and a wingspan that can reach 1.5 (4.9 ft). A native of the northernmost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, it winters further south, and specimens have been found in recent years as far south as Tennessee. In January 2014, a snowy owl survived being hit by a bus in Washington, DC, but was found dead in Minnesota a few months after its release. The snowy owl is unique among owls because it hunts during the day rather than at night, taking advantage of its coloration to blend in with its surroundings.

The famous young wizard is, of course, Harry Potter, the protagonist of the series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first volume of the series, on his 11th birthday, he is given a beautiful snowy owl named Hedwig, who becames one of his closest companions.

Answer: sarus crane

The sarus crane (Grus antigone) is a native of the northern Indian subcontinent, though populations of these birds can be found in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. It is the tallest of all flying birds, reaching a height of almost 2 m (6.6 ft), and a wingspan of up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft). With its pale grey body and red head and upper neck, the sarus crane has a distinctive appearance; unlike other cranes, it is mostly non-migratory.

Its name comes from the Sanskrit "sarasa" (lake bird), referring to its wetland habitat.

The courtship display of these imposing birds involves loud, trumpeting calls and dance-like movements. In India the sarus crane is a symbol of marital fidelity, as pairs are believed to mate for life.

Answer: secretary bird

Though its long legs resemble those of cranes, the secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a bird of prey, and a relative of hawks, kites and vultures. Its rounded wings have a span of up to 2.2 m (7.2 ft); its common name probably derives from its distinctive crest of long, black quill-like feathers.

The secretary bird inhabits the savannah and grasslands of sub-Saharan Africa, where it preys on insects, reptiles and small mammals. Though, as its scientific name implies, it does hunt snakes, even venomous ones such as cobras and adders (to whose venom it is at least partly immune), they are not the most important part of its diet.

The secretary bird is the national emblem of Sudan, and also appears on the coat of arms of South Africa.

Answer: Dalmatian pelican

With a wingspan that can reach 3.5 m (11.5 ft) - surpassed only by its close relative, the great white pelican, and the wandering albatross - and an average weight of 11.5 kg (20 lbs), the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is one of the largest of all living birds. It has silvery-grey plumage and the second-longest bill of any bird (up to 45 cm/1.5 ft). This massive bird is found in wetlands from southeastern Europe to India and China, and feeds almost entirely on fish. Though it used to be abundant throughout its range, its current status is vulnerable.