Q 01/05

Which of these is the largest living bird by mass and height?

A) Emu

B) Cassowary

C) Ostrich

D) Rhea

Answer · why

C) Ostrich

The ostrich is the tallest and heaviest living bird, a big male standing about 2.7 m; far too heavy to fly, it outruns danger at about 70 km/h, faster...

Q 02/05

Chicks of which Amazon bird hatch with claws on their wings for clambering through branches?

A) Toucan

B) Hoatzin

C) Potoo

D) Jacana

Answer · why

B) Hoatzin

Hoatzin chicks hatch with two claws on each wing; if threatened they drop into the water beneath the nest, then use the claws to climb back up. The cl...

Q 03/05

Which bird has the largest wingspan of any living bird?

A) Wandering Albatross

B) Trumpeter Swan

C) Andean Condor

D) Dalmatian Pelican

Answer · why

A) Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross's wings span more than three metres, letting it ride the wind for hours without a flap; it comes ashore only to breed and othe...

Q 04/05

The little woodstar, a tiny hovering bird, beats its wings roughly how many times per second?

A) 25

B) 50

C) 150

D) 99

Answer · why

D) 99

At the other extreme, the giant of the same family beats its wings as few as 12 times per second while hovering.

Q 05/05

Besides aiding in feeding, what is a primary function of a toucan's large, colorful beak?

A) Releasing excess heat

B) Storing body fat

C) Digging burrows

D) Producing loud calls

Answer · why

A) Releasing excess heat

Releasing excess heat: thermal cameras showed in 2009 that a toco toucan sends more blood into its bill to shed body heat as the air warms, and chokes...