Birds That Never Really Were, 3rd Flight Quiz

Answer: Hedwig

Hedwig was a snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus). Hagrid bought her for Harry at Eeylops Owl Emporium in Diagon Alley. Hedwig not only delivered Harry's mail but was also a friend and loyal supporter. She expressed affection by nibbling his ears and fingers. Hedwig was killed on 27 July 1997 during the Battle of the Seven Potters in the Second Wizarding War.

While they were pursued by Death Eaters, she was struck by a Killing Curse which dispatched her immediately.

Answer: Beatles

Paul McCartney wrote "Blackbird" after hearing a blackbird's call in in Rishikesh, India. It was inspired by the racial tensions in the United States. The song appeared on the Beatles' White Album in 1968. McCartney gave credit to the folksinger Donovan for the fingerpicking technique used in the recording.

Answer: Daisy Duck's nieces

Donald Duck was created in 1934. His nephews -- Huey, Dewey and Louie -- were created in 1937. Donald's love interest Daisy was created in 1940. She is Minnie Mouse's best friend. Her nieces -- April, May and June -- were created in 1953. In the same way that the nephews are members of The Junior Woodchucks, the nieces are members of The Junior Chickadees, both somewhat parallel to boy and girl scouting.

Answer: a bejeweled statuette of a falcon

The premise was that, in 1539, the Knights Templar on Malta sent a jewel-encrusted falcon to King Charles V of Spain, which treasure was stolen by pirates. Dashiell Hammett's San Francisco private eye Sam Spade was played by Humphrey Bogart in the movie.

The cast was amazingly good: Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet. Everybody wants the "black figure of a bird." An uncredited cameo in the motion picture occurs when Walter Huston (1902-1950), playing Captain Jacobi of the freighter La Paloma, bursts into Spade's office, shot, bleeding, dying, and carrying the Maltese Falcon. Walter was director John Huston's father.

Answer: Toucan Sam

Toucan Sam is an anthropomorphic toucan representing Froot Loops cereal. He was introduced in 1963; changes to Sam's appearance in 2020 did not go down well with loyal customers. Stripes on the bird's beak were supposed to represent the different colours of the cereal in the box. Oddly, the cereal is all of one flavour, no matter which of the eight colours any particular piece might be. Toucans have long beaks; this well suited the tagline "Follow your nose!/It always knows!" Mel Blanc originally voiced the bird; Sam was later given an English accent, imitating Ronald Coleman.

Answer: swan

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), who was himself an awkward youngster poorly accepted by his peers, wrote a story about a swan born in a clutch of duck's eggs. The cygnet was ridiculed and rejected roundly for being different. Only after surviving painful rejection did the swan find its place in the world and the acceptance of its kind.

The 1843 story has been translated into many languages and adapted into many media: animated motion pictures, music for voice and piano, opera, and ballet.

Answer: "Wings of a Dove"

Robert B. Ferguson wrote "Wings of Dove" in 1958. The lyrics recall Genesis 8:6-12 where Noah sent dove out from the ark to search for dry land. The dove at first returned without landing but then returned with an olive leaf in its beak. The lyrics say, "He sent down His love / On the wings of a dove." The Ferlin Huskey recording was the most successful on both the country and pop charts. Numerous covers followed: Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Bonnie Guitar, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn.

Answer: a seagull

Richard Bach wrote a short novel, a sort of fable, called "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" in 1970. The story of a seagull whose drive to achieve greater heights caused him to be expelled from his flock became a best-seller and was made into a movie in 1973.

Some people found the story deeply moving and consistent with the Human Potential Movement. Others, like movie critic Roger Ebert, said it was "so banal that it had to be sold to adults" because "kids would have seen through it."

Answer: Dick Dastardly & Muttley

Dick Dastardly and Muttley first appeared in Hanna-Barbera's 1968 TV programme "Wacky Racers." They turned in their car ("the Mean Machine") for an airplane in the reboot "Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines" (1969-70). The second series was sometimes known as "Stop That Pigeon" because that phrase was repeated again and again in the theme song. Yankee Doodle Pigeon carries secret dispatches in his bag; Dastardly, Muttley and their henchpersons, the Vulture Squadron, flying WWI era aircraft, try to stop/catch him.

Answer: Walter Lantz

Woody the Woodpecker was created by Walter Lantz in 1940. The theatrical shorts were produced by the Walter Lantz Studio and distributed by Universal Studios until 1972. The woodpecker was voiced by Grace Stafford who was Walter Lantz' wife. "The Woody Woodpecker Show" played on television from 1957 to 1992 and 1999 to 2002. Woody is the official mascot of Universal Studios. Lantz, along with Walt Disney and Chuck Jones, received a special lifetime-achievement Academy Award for animation.