These Compound Words Are for the Birds Quiz

Answer: Bananaquit

A curved fruit with a yellow peel = banana.
To give up or stop = quit.
A gray-and-yellow bird that sounds like a fruit and drinks nectar = bananaquit.

The picture shows a banana.

Isn't that a strange name for a bird? I think it sounds like a fruit that gave up! Actually, a "bananaquit" is called that because some of its feathers are yellow (like a banana). "Quit" DOES mean stop, but that's not how this bird got its name. "Quit" is also an old word for small birds that perch.

These birds really like to drink nectar from flowers. They are also called "sugarbirds" -- because they also love to eat sugar if someone puts it out for them. But unless you live in South America, you probably won't see a bananaquit. Unless it hates its job.

Did you know that there's another bird called a bananabird? It's not related to the bananaquit. The bananabird is named because it likes to eat bananas.

Answer: Bluejay

A color that represents sadness = blue.
A type of bird related to crows = jay.
A large, noisy bird that's sometimes a bully = bluejay.

The picture shows a bright blue circle. It's part of an arcade game.

Bluejays are very pretty, but they aren't always nice to other birds. A hungry bluejay might attack or chase away other birds so it can have all the food. They are also very loud. Bluejays don't have an "indoor voice" like we do -- because birds live outdoors!

Bluejays can be very mean -- they sometimes steal eggs from other birds' nests. But they can also be helpful. If they see a hawk, bluejays will imitate the hawk's loud screech, and this warns other birds nearby to hide. Hawks are very big and very dangerous, so bluejays act like an alarm!

The word "jay" refers to some birds that are related to crows. Jays have long tails and noisy voices, and most have bright colors. There's also a greenjay and a grayjay.

Answer: Goldfinch

A very expensive metal = gold.
A songbird with a short, strong beak = finch.
A bright-colored little bird that looks like a flying lemon with a black hat = goldfinch.

The picture does NOT show goldfinches -- these are called golden parakeets.

The goldfinch is a beautiful little bird with bright yellow feathers. Its head and wings are black. Goldfinches become a little bit less colorful in autumn and in spring, when they lose their bright feathers and grow brown ones. So goldfinches are brightest in summer.

Goldfinches love to eat seeds from sunflowers. Sunflowers are also bright yellow. Golden flowers for golden birds -- they must be rich!

Finches have strong beaks that they use to crack seeds apart. Most finches are singing birds that look like they're bouncing around when they fly.

Answer: Kingfisher

A queen's husband = king.
A person who catches animals that live in the water = fisher.
A blue-and-orange bird that uses its long bill to dive into the water for food = kingfisher.

The picture shows the King of Hearts (like on the playing card) made from a piece of metal.

The name "kingfisher" is from "king" + "fisher." Nobody knows for sure why the royal word "king" is in its name. A "fisher" is a fish hunter. Maybe it's named for being great at catching fish?

This bird used to be called "king's fisher." Maybe it was a popular bird for kings to own.

A kingfisher IS a really good fish hunter. It waits on a branch above a river or stream, and when it sees a fish, it dives, grabs it and swallows it. It moves very quickly. Now that's "fast food"!

Answer: Redbreast

Fire's color = red.
Another word for "chest" = breast.
A very common bird with an orange stomach, a gray back, and a yellow beak = redbreast.

The picture shows an ice-cream cone that's colored reddish-orange.

A redbreast is also called a "robin" or a "robin redbreast." I don't like the "red" part of its name -- I think these birds have an orange-colored chest. Next time a robin comes, look at its stomach and see if you agree. Look at the yellow beak too -- it looks like a french fry!

Redbreasts are one of the most common birds. They sing a pretty song, often early in the morning. If you look at the ground, or a tree, or a birdfeeder, you'll probably see at least one redbreast. They will eat almost anything -- seeds, fruits, lots of insects, and earthworms. If you look closely at a robin on the ground, you might see it tugging on a worm, trying to pull it out.

Have you ever seen a redbreast's eggs? They're a beautiful bright blue. There's even a shade of blue named "robin-egg blue."

Answer: Sandpiper

What you walk on at the beach = sand.
A person who plays a certain wind instrument = piper.
A long-legged little bird that lives near the ocean = sandpiper.

The picture shows sand on a beach.

A sandpiper is called that because it's often seen walking on the sand, near the water's edge. And "piper" is NOT named for the shape of the bird's beak -- "piper" comes from the bird's high-pitched voice. It sounds like someone playing a pipe, which is a wind instrument.

Sandpipers have long, thin beaks that they use to poke into the ground with for food. In the wet sand and mud, sandpipers can find lots of tasty insects, spiders, worms and even tiny crabs.

These cute little birds have long, skinny legs. Sandpipers are funny to watch -- they go near the water and look for food, then when the waves get close, the birds run back on their funny little legs.

Answer: Seagull

A large body of water = sea.
A word for a foolish person = gull.
A bird that likes beaches, will eat almost anything, and isn't afraid of people = seagull.

The picture shows a seagull -- stealing my takeout bag from McDonald's!

A seagull is named for "sea" + "gull." A "gull" CAN mean a dumb or foolish person (as in "gullible"), but "gull" also refers to various birds that are found by the seashore and are good at flying, walking AND swimming.

Seagulls are often seen in huge groups. At the beach, you might look up and see a big flock of them circling overhead. These birds can dive for fish, swim in the water, and walk around on dry land -- and it's easy. They have tall legs and feet that are "webbed" -- their toes are connected by a thin layer of skin.

As the picture shows, seagulls will take almost any kind of food they can get. They'll stand around, waiting for someone to drop their food. They sometimes even bother people at restaurants by landing on the tables and stealing something to eat. Maybe we should just offer these birds a menu!

Answer: Skylark

Where you look to see clouds = sky.
A word for a person who wakes up early = lark.
A type of brown bird that sings beautifully as it flies up high = skylark.

The picture shows the bright blue sky and clouds, seen from the window of an airplane.

A skylark is from "sky" + "lark," and the "sky" part is because this bird -- with a lovely voice -- likes to sing as it soars high into the air. The word "lark" can refer to various songbirds. If you are "up with the larks" it means you wake up early.

There is a bird called a meadowlark. It has a yellow stomach and a brown back, and it's found in grassy areas in North America. But a skylark is just brown, and it's found in parts of Europe, Africa and Asia. Meadowlarks and skylarks aren't related.

It's interesting that one type of lark is named for the ground (meadowlark) and the other is named for the air (skylark). Of course, both of them know how to fly just fine!

The skylark likes to sing as it goes high into the sky. What song do you think it sings? Maybe "I Believe I Can Fly"?

Answer: Spoonbill

What you eat cereal with = spoon.
Something that you pay = bill.
A tall wading bird with a long beak that can scoop up food = spoonbill.

The picture shows a silver spoon.

A spoonbill is pretty much what it sounds like. It's a bird with a long, flat beak (or "bill") that's shaped like a spoon at the end.

A spoonbill is a "wading bird." That's a bird that doesn't swim -- it has tall legs that it uses to walk through shallow water. The spoonbill's mouth is always a little bit open, so when the bird puts its mouth in the water, it can easily "scoop up" tiny crabs or fish or insects.

Here's a silly idea to help you think of how this bird eats. Imagine that you're walking through a giant bowl of cereal, and your mouth is a spoon. You start wading through the milk. A few cornflakes float past you. So you walk over, open your spoon-mouth, and dip it into the milk. You scoop up a cornflake, swallow it, and you keep doing that until you're full.

That's basically what a spoonbill does. Aren't you glad that's not how you actually have to eat cereal?

Answer: Umbrellabird

Something that protects you from rain and sun = umbrella.
An animal with wings = bird.
A dark-colored flying animal with a curved group of feathers on its head = umbrellabird.

The picture shows a decorated umbrella.

"Umbrellabird" is a simple combination of "umbrella" + "bird," of course. "Parasol," "bumbershoot" and "brolly" are all names for an umbrella -- but not for the umbrellabird.

The curved group of feathers on this bird's head -- called a "crest" -- looks like a tiny little umbrella to some people. This umbrella-shaped crest looks neat, but it doesn't actually protect the bird from rain or sunlight. They don't care if they get wet anyway. Birds don't need umbrellas!

Have you ever seen the 1951 animated movie "Alice in Wonderland"? In one scene, Alice grows very tall and cries huge tears, and they fall like raindrops onto a bunch of animals. In that scene, some "umbrella vulture" birds open up like umbrellas, with one foot as the handle. Of course, these don't look anything like real umbrellabirds do!