Why Do Birds? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Migrating birds need to keep one step ahead of the authorities

One primary reason birds migrate is to breed. Many birds in Europe, Asia and North America migrate further north to take advantage of the longer daylight hours, which gives them more time to catch food for themselves and their offspring.
Lack of food and extreme cold etc will drive some species of birds out of one area into warmer, more hospitable regions.

Answer: To gladden the hearts of humans

When birds start to sing each spring it certainly does gladden my heart but unfortunately 'my' robins, wrens and blackbirds are not singing for my benefit, it is just a happy by-product of their courtship rituals. The males of many species of birds have calls and songs which have three main purposes.

The songs might range from the croaks and grunts of crows and ravens to the beautiful songs of many of the passerines and the amazing mimicry of lyrebirds and other species. The male is basically saying; firstly I am the boss of this patch; secondly other males keep away or face the consequences and thirdly, "Here I am girls; like what you see?".

Answer: To distract you from its nest and chicks

Several species of birds use this technique to distract predators from their nest and eggs/chicks. The predator is lured further and further away from the bird's nest by the apparently injured bird. One of the best known birds to do this is probably the North American plover, the killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) but other species of waders also do this.

Other birds (especially some ducks) might use a slightly different tactic and pretend to play dead until the predator gets too close.

Answer: To attract worms closer to the surface

Herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and other closely related species have been observed and filmed catching worms in this way. The gull will rapidly stamp its feet for several seconds then look around and will frequently find and eat a worm. It is not known for sure why the worms come closer to the surface but the reason most often given is that the gull's dance simulates the sound of raindrops. If this all sounds rather incredible, check out some of the footage on YouTube.
Other birds have also be seen adopting similar tactics especially those in the crow family.

Answer: false

Over 99% of bird species build some sort of nest, whether it involves just a scrape on the ground or an elaborate structure most birds have a place to lay their eggs and raise their young. However a few species are brood-parasitic which means they lay their eggs in other species' nests and leave the rearing to them.

The European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is probably the best known brood parasite but other birds have been observed carrying out this behaviour including cowbirds, honey guides and some species of ducks.

Answer: Respiration

Birds require oxygen to survive but their feathers have no role to play in what is quite a complicated respiratory system.
Feathers provide protection from cold weather and in some species from water. They also protect birds from sunlight.
Not all birds can fly of course but the vast majority that can could not do so without their feathers, especially the primaries and secondaries found on birds' wings.
All feathers provide colour which birds use for identification, for display and for courtship rituals.

Answer: The females are more brightly coloured than the males

In some species of birds the sexes are very similar (and difficult for birdwatchers to tell male from female). Where sexual dimorphism occurs it is almost invariably the male which is the more brightly coloured. The female is usually more cryptically coloured for camouflage purposes around the nest site.
There are three species of phalarope which reverse this trend; the females are larger, more brightly coloured and it is they who hold territory and pursue the males. Once the eggs have been laid then the female leaves the site leaving the male to bring up the family.

Answer: (They Long To Be) Close To You

As a classic rock fan I've never been much of a Carpenters fan but grudgingly admit Karen had a great voice... and any song which contains a bird reference is OK by me. For the record "(They Long To Be) Close To You" was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and reached number one on the US Billboard chart in 1970.

Answer: Picking up ants and rubbing their feathers with them

Around 250 different species of birds have been observed anting. Most species belong to the crow, starling, tanager, woodpecker and babbler families although it is likely that other families are involved. Birds will pick up individual ants and rub them over their feathers forcing the ant to release formic acid.

Other variations of this include lying down and allowing several ants to run through the bird's feathers and dust-bathing in and and around anthills. It is thought that the formic acid kills or at least deters mites and other parasites.

Answer: Birds need gravity in order to swallow

Apparently NASA had intended to send canaries and similar birds into space until they realised that they cannot swallow without the aid of gravity and so would soon dehydrate and probably die. Many classes of animals have been taken into space including mammals, reptiles, amphibians and many invertebrates.
(Thanks to my good FT friend and team-mate DustyRosie for this one).