This article focuses on the new bird enthusiast and choosing their first bird to own. In this article I will explain why I think the cockatiel is my overall pick for the new bird owner and why. I will also give important comparisons between the cockatiel and other parrot breeds such as the African Grey, Eclectus, Conure, and others.

There are lots and lots of different breeds of parrots out there. Some are very good for petting; some are not. However, for many people who haven’t own any pet parrot or any pet birds, many will feel that the cockatiel is an excellent starter bird in the parrot family. Cockatiels are usually associated with having a good personality, very friendly, good talkers, a bird you can cuddle with some what. They also make very good companions.

Cockatiels have been kept and breed successfully in many countries all around the world. Cockatiels can be considered as the most widely kept parrot other than parakeet or budgie (budgerigar). There are lots of research material available and many experts on cockatiels. The learning curve for the care and up-keep of cockatiels is minor and many keepers of them become experts of the cockatiel bird and their care rather quickly.

Of all of the breeds of parrots the cockatiel is the most likely bird to satisfy the new bird owner almost immediately. Other breeds of parrots can be very nippy, biting parrots. Most tend to bond with a single individual and sometimes are even rude to people other than the owner or person they bond with. The cockatiel generally doesn’t portray any of these traits, although some might, it is rare.

Okay, given the above information about cockatiels I don’t want to say that all bird owners should start with a cockatiel or even imply that all bird owners should own one. What I do want to say is that if you are new to birds as pets you really should consider the cockatiel as a first bird because they are so easy to afford, take care of, and enjoy.

Price

Often price is the deciding factor for the potential new bird owner. Every new bird enthusiast dreams of owning their dream parrot but that new pet can be very costly; sometimes in the thousands of dollars to own.

In the US, and most other countries around the world, the price of a cockatiel is very small compared to say a conure or one of the larger parrots such as the African grey. Prices for cockatiels range anywhere from as low as $30 to start with, or slightly higher for hand fed babies that are meticulously cared for by their breeders.

Of course one should realize that with birds, as is other pets, the more popular color mutation or rarity of the color can raise the price of a cockatiel. Also a cockatiel that has been hand fed will bring a higher selling price because the breeder has spent much of their time caring for the infant bird. Compared to “parent fed” cockatiels hand fed birds are usually about 30 to 50 percent higher in selling price. I will note though if you have the choice between parent fed and hand fed, can afford the hand fed bird, get the hand fed bird. The reason being is that the breeder has given you an excellent head start in getting the most enjoyment out of owning a bird because they have had so much interaction with them.

Noise level

All birds make noise. Some very little and then some make a lot of noise. One of the first things a new bird owner realizes right away is that all birds are “vocal” to some point. By this I mean that all birds make noise. Generally a good rule of thumb is the larger the bird the more noise that is possible from the bird.

Now, granted that the cockatiel will be possibly noisier than say a finche, parakeet, or even a pair of love birds, they will in no way compare to the noise level of a Macaw or Amazon parrot. This fact should be taken into consideration especially if the new owner lives in a apartment housing unit or any area where noise level among neighbors could be a problem.

Every new bird owner would like to have a bird that can talk, but even that can be an annoyance with some of the larger birds. The African Grey, which is by far the nest talker of the parrot species, is known to be able mimic or say just about anything it hears often enough. I remember a friend of mine had an African Grey that could mimic the sound of his old analog dial phone ringing. While it was cute at first it quickly became annoying if you spent very much time with the bird.

For the most part cockatiels can live in complete harmony in just about any community environment. There are exceptions but generally cockatiels are low volume and usually only “speak” or mimic when they are first awakened or seeking attention for food or affection from their owners.

Talking abilities

No parrot really talks, rather they mimic what they have heard enough and are able to mimic. A bird can not carry on a conversation with a human. Although some of the best talkers of the parrot species can do a real impressive job of making it appear as they can. I once knew a friend that had an Eclectus that could sing “I want to be a cowboy” by Kid Rock and did it so well if he had a band playing the musical part you would swear it was Kid Rock singing the song himself.

The bigger the parrot the better it will be able to mimic. The African Grey, Eclectus, and Amazon parrots are the best at talking. They have the best clarity to their voices, if you will, than any other breed of parrots. A cockatiel can do an excellent job of mimicking too. Although, their voice tends to be a lot more rough or scratchy than the bigger parrots, they are easily understood at what they do master in mimicking.

Now one should also keep in mind that not all cockatiels will mimic. Most will to some extent, but not all will. It is common for the bird to say “Hello” or other small phrases, but it is also common for them to never utter a discernable word. If having a talking bird is your prime goal you might consider a larger parrot before getting a cockatiel.

One thing to note is that it seems that hand fed cockatiels are more likely to talk than the parent fed ones. I guess this would all stem back to the early human intervention in their young lives and their willingness to adapt to pleasing the human they are most in contact with.

Good personality

As a rule cockatiels are very well behaved when handled or when left alone for long periods of time. While any bird will bite or nip at you if they feel threatened, it is rare for a cockatiel to display such aggressions. As mentioned earlier in this article cockatiels are most often willing to cuddle with their human partners and actually crave this kind of attention in some cases.

They are also very good with children. The only problem with cockatiels and children is that often children do not realize how fragile the bird is and can often hurt them very badly or even kill them if handled too roughly.

Cockatiels are rarely moody or quick tempered. They will bite as any bird will when they feel threatened or defensive, but they bite for the most part is harmless. I suppose to a small child it may hurt a little more but to most all adults the fear of being bitten will be worse than the bite should you ever be bitten by one.

Compact in size

One of the biggest advantages of owning a cockatiel first is the low cost of housing them and their up-keep. Since they usually no bigger than the average man’s fist even a small to medium size cage is enough room for them to live in. This in turn translates into a smaller foot print of the cage size being needed for placement in the home. For many new owners this part of ownership doesn’t dawn on them until they get the bird home and find out you have to put the cage somewhere.

Of course being a smaller bird means they eat less and drink less water. This in turn means they make less mess with their food and water. Yet another plus to the neophyte bird owner. The big parrots have large appetites and often meticulous ones and they will definitely make a bigger mess with their food and water.

Summary

I would have to say that out of all of the parrots I believe the cockatiel to be the most widely accepted as a new bird owners first parrot. Add to that they even make a good “upgrade” so to speak for the budgie and parakeet owners. There are pros and cons to any species of bird but for the most part the pros far out weigh the cons when it comes to cockatiel ownership.

Parrots have been kept in captivity for a long time but only the parakeet and cockatiel have adapted to it so well. The bigger parrots many of them are caught out in the wild and can be very troublesome to deal with for a long time and possibly the whole time you have them. Cockatiels even the parent fed ones are the absolute easiest to get along with of the parrot species. I highly recommend a cockatiel to any bird owner or especially to the first time parrot owner.

Rick Roberts is an avid bird enthusiast. Visit his new website dedicated to parrots and their owners at http://www.yourparrot.com This website is dedicated to his bird Casey a blue crown conure that lived for 13 years and was one of his favorite pets.

Choosing a Macaw that’s right for your family can be hard. Pet stores these days can tend to focus more on profits than on raising a healthy well adjusted Macaw. So I thought I’d give you three tips to look for when purchasing a macaw.

Tip #1 – Stay Educated

Before purchasing a Macaw you really need to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. A Macaw can be an excellent choice of pet parrot, as it’s not as temperamental or likely to scream excessively like a cockatoo, but also can tend to have a higher need to destroy things than say a Quaker or Conure parrot.

So one tip I like to give people is to research websites that provide accurate information about parrots. One good place is my blog which I’ll link to below. I’ve recently started hiring parrot behavior specialists to write weekly articles about what it really takes to raise parrots on my blog, and I think you’ll find it informative.

Tip #2 – Check Out The Diet

Many pet store owners knowingly feed their parrots 100% seed based diets. This is a BIG warning sign as an all seed base diet causes a parrot to develop into an extremely picky eater and has been known to cut the lifespan of domestic parrots in half.

Instead look for a store that feeds their birds a pellet mix, (non colored) along with fruits, veggies and preferably freshly cooked bean mixes.

This way you’ll know if the store owner is really willing to put the extra time and energy it takes into raising a healthy macaw, because let’s face it, it takes more time to keep a Macaw healthy, than it does to just dump some seed in his bowl and call it good.

Tip #3 – Ask For a Medical Check Up

Make sure you negotiate with the pet store owner for a medical check up before he sells you a macaw. Many stores are not clean and Macaws can get nasty viruses that can often result in death. And you don’t want to be on the wrong end of a virus, with a dead macaw you just paid $1,500 for, and not be able to get a refund.

To make sure you don’t get in this jam make sure the store owners signs off on some sort of agreement where before he gets a full medical checkup before purchasing him, or within a few days of purchase, whereas if the bird ends up being sick the store is liable to give you a refund, or pay the medical expenses.

These are just a few of the many things you can do to make sure you purchase a Macaw that doesn’t cause you all sorts of trouble in the future. Be sure to check out my blog at http://www.birdtricks.com/updates

Dave Womach publishes a parrot training newsletter to help people overcome their parrots issues at http://www.birdtricks.com/macaws.html

Scaly face is a common condition in birds caused by a mite called Knemidocoptes. This scaly face condition is seen mostly in budgerigars and by knowing what symptoms to look for you will be able to provide treatment to your bird as soon as possible. If the mites are not identified early the damage could be severe.

Knemidocoptes is a burrowing mite that can cause disfiguring changes of the beak, legs and feet of birds. The mite has a three-week life cycle and stays on the bird the whole time. The mites burrow into the skin and feather follicles around the cere, feet, and face, and feed on keratin. As the mites burrow they leave characteristic honeycomb lesions. The mites are transmitted from bird to bird by close contact.

Although this mite most commonly affects budgerigars, many different species of birds are affected. This mite can affect all chickens, turkeys, finches, canaries, parakeets, and parrots. Although the clinical signs of this mite can vary between species of birds, the basic lesions are the same.

Knemidocoptes occurs mostly in older or sick animals that have a weaker immune system. Lesions to look for include scaling, crusting, and grayish lesions on the skin around the beak, eyes, legs, and feet. The mites burrow into the skin leaving large tunnels resulting in the characteristic honeycomb lesion.

In severe cases the beak will start to grow malformed and it might become hard for the bird to breath. Also, the legs and feet will also become malformed and the bird will become lame. Swollen nail beds and misshaped nails can also occur.

Both male and female budgerigars may be affected, but the disease is most commonly seen in fledglings and younger adults. The lesions usually appear over the course of months and the progression of the disease is slow.

Normally the first lesions to appear are at the corners of the beak. In most cases the condition is confined to the base and top of the beak. Normally the condition does not cause itching in the birds. The fact that the condition does not cause itching is why the honeycomb lesions, and the location of the lesions will help your veterinarian determine that this condition is scaly face.

Your veterinarian will usually do a skin scraping of your bird to help confirm the diagnosis. Treatment usually consists of either one of two drugs, Ivermectin or Moxidectin. Either of these drugs can be given to treat the mites, these drugs can be given in varying forms and doses, so consult your veterinarian before treatment.

By knowing what signs to look for in your budgerigars, you’ll be able to catch this condition in its early stages to hopefully prevent further disease.

Visit my pet website at and ASK A VET your bird question!

Why parrots stop talking is not always the problem. Some people long for their parrots to stop talking, simply because they talk incessantly once they have learned a few phrases. Parrots are very sociable, and want to communicate with other members of their “flock” – which means the people with whom they live. So a talking parrot is probably more common.

There are times, however, when parrots stop talking, and then the worried owner wants to know why parrots stop talking.

Reasons Why Parrots Stop Talking

There are several reasons why parrots stop talking. We cannot give a complete list here, but one of the following may apply to your parrot.

1. Some talking parrots stop talking for a few days when they arrive in a new home. They are adjusting to the change. They find themselves suddenly with a new “flock” in a new environment. Even a talking parrot will take time to sort things out in its mind before it feels comfortable.

2. Sometimes talking parrots stop talking when they are feeling ill. If your parrot has been talking, and stops with no apparent reason, consider health issues. You may need to take it to an avian veterinarian.

3. Talking parrots will “pout” and stop talking when they are unhappy with a change you have made. It may be you have moved the furniture in the room where the parrot spends most of its time. Maybe you are wearing an article of clothing the parrot does not like.

4. Another reason talking parrots may stop talking is the introduction of a new family member, either human or another pet. The parrot must work through the change, and stops talking while adjusting.

5. Sometimes a talking parrot has been frightened, perhaps by a prey animal. The animal may be outside, but visible from the parrot’s cage.

6. Finally, a talking parrot may stop talking if it becomes bored with its own chatter, and hears few words from you. Remember that your parrot talks to communicate with you. It is in a “foreign” land, away from those that speak its language, and is trying to learn your language to communicate.

What to Do When Parrots Stop Talking

There are several things you can do to encourage a talking parrot that has stopped talking.

If your talking parrot is in new surroundings, make it as comfortable as possible. Give it time to adjust, but while it’s adjusting, talk to it gently and frequently. As soon as it decides the new surroundings are safe, it will probably begin talking again.

If you suspect your talking parrot’s sudden silence is an early sign of illness, look at its eyes and feathers. If you detect dullness in either, you may need to have an avian (bird) veterinarian check your parrot.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as finding a change you have made in the previous few days or week. Did you move a vase that used to reflect the light? Did you move the parrot’s cage a few feet one way or another? Try to remember what may have changed and put it back the way it was. Your talking parrot may quickly speak up to thank you.

Check for predators, even though you know they cannot reach the parrot. A large, predatory bird flying past the window, or sitting in a tree outside can be the reason a talking parrot stops talking.

The best solution to helping a talking parrot find its tongue is to spend more time talking to and around the bird. Take it into other rooms with you and the family so it will feel like being a part of the conversation.

Talk to your bird as much as you would talk to a family member or very good friend, and before long, it should begin talking again.

©2007, Anna Hart. An avid reader and researcher, Anna explores many parrot species, and offers other interesting parrot information at http://www.parrots-of-the-world.com If you would like to learn more about how to train your parrot, you won’t want to miss Anna’s advice.

This Beautiful Golden Eagle eagle is named for its golden brown plumage, with head and nape feathers are a little slightly lighter, golden color. The golden eagle is between 26-33 inches in height, the eagle has a wingspan of 78 inches (over 7 feet long) and weighs 3.2 to 6.4 kg. Adults have a bill which is a bit smaller and darker than that of other eagle, which include the bald eagle. The immature golden eagle’s in flight can be recognised from the immature bald eagle by the presence of distinct white patches on the under-wing and by a large white tail with dark band. The most notable field mark at any age distinguishing these two eagles, should you be in a position to see it, is the presence of feathers on the legs of golden eagles all the way down to the toes while the bald eagle has a considerable amount of the leg showing. Its favored prey food include rodents, birds, rabbits, and reptiles, as well as carrion. They have also been known to take small sheep and other small farm animals.

Life and the History of these eagle’s

The golden eagle is a long-lived bird, with a life span believed to be around 30 years or even more. It is also known that a pair of eagle’s mate for life and defends a large selected territory against other golden eagles to protect there young from starving. Both the male and female help in building the nest, occasionally in a tree but more often on a cliff ledge, commonly with the protection of an overhanging tree or rock so they have shelter. The nest is made of large sticks and branches and often contains aromatic leaves which may serve to deter insects and other small pests. Since the same nest may be used and added to almost every year, So as you can imagine theses nests can become very large due to the birds adding to them.

The birds nest usually of 1 or 2 sometimes but rarely 3 eggs which hatch after an incubation period of 34-45 days. Eaglets fledge in 65-75 days. The male provides some help with incubation, but he is the major food provider during incubation and chick rearing. Young reach sexual maturity and obtain adult coloration in most cases at around 5 years of age.

Habitat is very Important

The golden eagle is seen worldwide throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Golden eagles are typically associated with the large plains of the western United States, and are fairly common in our western states, Alaska and western Canada. Never abundant in the eastern U. S., this species is now virtually extirpated as a breeding bird east of the Mississippi River. Golden eagles once nested at no more than a few or so sites in the Adirondacks of New York, in Maine and in New Hampshire. They are believed to still nest in large numbers in eastern Canada and they are also protected here, as evidenced by hundreds of golden eagles appearing during the fall and spring migrations in the eastern U. S. Preferred habitats include generally open areas, mountains, grasslands, and deserts. The golden eagle feeds primarily on live mammals such as ground squirrels and rabbits, and other small animals found in their preferred upland habitats. In winter they will feed on carrion and waterfowl in the east.

Status

Golden eagles have been protected in the United States since 1963. During the 1950’s, an estimated 20,000 eagles were destroyed by ranchers and farmers, particularly sheep farmers who perceived them to be a major threat to there livestock. In the north eastern states, remnant populations declined drastically to almost distinction. Although sightings occur every year in New York, most are during migration. A nest was built in the winter of 1992-93 by a wintering pair in southeastern New York, but has never been used as the pair departs every spring to return the next fall. The reasons for the decline of this species in the east are not clear. Various factors seem to be involved, including shooting, accidental trapping, human disturbance at nest sites, posishing, loss of essential open hunting habitat due to succession and fire control, and possibly pesticide contamination (especially by DDT).and also construction and building works.

Hacking, a technique used successfully in New York to restore the bald eagle, has been considered for golden eagle’s, but has not been pursued due to the uncertainty of why golden eagles disappeared from New York and whether these conditions still remain. Tracking of golden eagle’s is being conducted in a few south eastern states during the 1990’s and latter and at least three pair’s has nested in there in recent years.

Mick Rush has been studying birds for over
25 years and has now fond that people love
to find out more info about golden eagles
educate your self here
http://www.mickrush.com/eagles/index.php

One of the best places for aspiring bird watchers to get their feet wet is in their own backyard. Backyard bird watching is an inexpensive and relatively easy way to get involved in birding as a hobby. While your interest may one day carry you to far away places in search of rare species, many find that they are more than satisfied by keeping track of the local bird life and enjoying the birds that live right under their noses.

You will want to do some research on what types of feeders are best for the birds that you are hoping to attract. Several styles meet the needs of many species. Some birds, however, require a specific type of feeder. You may find it best to construct your backyard bird watching area in a way that allows you to utilize several different feeders. Make sure you research how far away from each other the feeders should be.

Another decision that you will have to make as you are beginning your hobby of backyard bird watching is what to feed them. There is a wide range of feed available. Just like the feeders, the food that you select should depend in large part on what type of birds you are hoping to attract and where you live. Some of the more common types of bird feed are sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and thistle. Often found in a mix, pour this type of seed into a hopper type feeder to meet the needs of several different species at one backyard bird watching station. If you hope to attract some of the more fickle species, like bluebirds, then you will need to do some research on what type of fruit or nuts make up the diet of bluebirds in your area.

When you are setting up your area for backyard bird watching, you should ensure that you have good view of the feeders from the area that you anticipate using for observation. If you have any low hanging branches that may block your view, cut them away before you begin your project. If you wait until you already have a contingent of hungry customers to do so, the sudden change in environment may disrupt the feeding and behavior patterns that they have established.

Now that you are ready to begin your observations, you will find that you need some kind of magnifying device in order to see the birds better. A basic pair of binoculars is usually sufficient for beginners, though you may find it better to mount a spotting scope near a bird watching picture window in your home. These optical devices will greatly increase your ability to identify birds and to get to them by their distinct markings and behaviors.

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal.

Please visit our bird feeder portal for more great tips on backyard bird watching.

The passion and pleasure that a bird watcher finds in that hobby is inspirational. Those who bird watch are unique group of people. Bird watchers have a great sense of awareness as to what is going on around them and a degree of patience that is rare in our society.

A bird watcher will find as much delight in telling you about how they got to the place where they saw a particular species as they will about the bird itself. There is something satisfying about trotting up a hill, climbing an old barbed wire fence, and then sliding down a muddy ravine just to catch a glimpse of a warbler family flitting amongst some remote treetops. Western society has made people quite content to drive up to a window, order, and then be on the way without ever getting out of the car. If only birding were that easy. Bird watchers can teach the busy world around them about what it means to deliberate, and to spend all day working towards a goal that may not even come to fruition. After all, not every outing is a successful one.

Society can learn from the patience of a bird watcher. A business mindset causes many to think that times of inactivity are wasted. Successful people in this world capitalize on every available moment and use those moments to be proactive. The bird watchers demonstrate first hand that this in not necessarily true. These people show the world that sometimes, the best and most rewarding things are the ones that you waited patiently, quietly, and for a long time to get.

To be a bird watcher is to do a great service to society by being passionate about conservation. Building processes and roads continue to destroy acres of forested ground and prime avian habitat. Various voices of the bird watching community are speaking loudly and clearly about the importance of preserving these habitats. Bird watching enthusiasts know that progress is inevitable, but that we must work diligently to find a balance with the natural world. This passion for conservation is often born out of the time that a birder spends in the field, marveling over the complexity of not only the birds, but the entire eco-system that they call home as well.

A veteran bird watcher must understand the responsibility he or she has to the bird watching community. An experienced bird watcher needs to be proactive about bringing new enthusiasts along and teaching the proper methods and ethics of birding. As long as every generation is willing to take the time to pass along their knowledge, then the movement to conserve habitat will continue to thrive.

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our bird feeder portal for more great tips on bird watching.

Trying to read and interpret all of the jargon about various bird watching binoculars can be a little difficult if you are new to it. You will probably find that all of the manufacturers think their product is the best, and that nothing else is worth looking at. If you are like most consumers, you want a place to go where you can find an honest opinion and some accurate information. If you do not live in an area where you can just walk into a specialty optics store and ask, do not worry, there are some resources available.

There are several such guides available to those who are in market for bird watching binoculars. Bird Watchers Digest publishes a review of the latest models and improvements every year. Additionally, a number of Web sites publish product reviews on a regular basis. Some sites even have entire sections devoted specifically to binocular reviews and evaluation. Check out www.birdwatching.com/optics.html for one good example of Web based product reviews. Experienced birders offer their honest opinions about the products that they use on a regular basis and what they did and did not like about each one.

When researching bird watching binoculars, keep in mind several things that may affect which style will work best for you. If you wear glasses, then some binoculars may not work well for you. Do you wish to use the binoculars to focus on small things that may be relatively close? There are models like the Pentax Papillo, which will work very well when trying to zoom in on things like butterflies. When considering any binocular, a bird watcher needs to give careful thought to how much magnification power they need. While many are under the impression that they need the most powerful binocular available to enjoy watching birds, often times the most powerful optical tools can be very difficult to keep focused and to hold steady enough to get a clear image.

Some people in the market for bird watching binoculars pay no attention to price and do not consider cost to be of any importance. For most people, cost does play a large role in their decision. Do not get frustrated if at first all you see are slick catalogue pages full of extravagantly prices binoculars. You can, and will, find equipment from many reliable well-known manufacturers that is well made and quite affordable for the average bird watcher.

To ensure that you are pleased with your purchase, make sure that you do the research. As shown here, there are plenty of resources available outside of actually walking into a store. Bird watching binoculars will be your primary piece of equipment as you begin your bird watching hobby.

Mike Selvon owns a number of niche portal. Please visit our bird feeder portal for more great tips on bird watching binoculars.

1. How many eyelids do birds have?
A. None
B. One
C. Two
D. Three

D. Three
TOPICS: They have an upper lid resembling that of humans, a lower lid that closes when a bird sleeps, and a third lid, called a nictitating membrane, that sweeps across the eye sideways, starting from the side near the beak. This lid is a thin, translucent fold of skin that moistens and cleans the eye and protects it from wind and bright light.

2. Which is the true fact about birds’ sleeping habits?
A. They need very little sleep
B. They need a lot of sleep
C. They sleep about the same amount as the average human
D. They never sleep

A. They need very little sleep
TOPICS: Many seabirds, in particular, sleep very little. For example, the sooty tern, which rarely lands on water, may fly for several years with only brief periods of sleep lasting a few seconds each. Flying is so effortless for the sooty tern and some other seabirds that it takes virtually no energy at all.

3. The bowerbirds of Australia and New Guinea got their name from which trait?
A. The female’s refusal to leave the nest until the eggs are hatched
B. The male’s refusal to leave the nest until the eggs are hatched
C. The males building bowers for shelter, which they decorate with colorful objects such as flower petals, feathers, fruit, and even human-made items such as ribbons and tinfoil, to attract the females during courtship.
D. The females building bowers for shelter, which they decorate with colorful objects such as flower petals, feathers, fruit, and even human-made items such as ribbons and tinfoil, to attract the males during courtship.

C. The males building bowers for shelter, which they decorate with colorful objects such as flower petals, feathers, fruit, and even human-made items such as ribbons and tinfoil, to attract the females during courtship.
TOPICS: How many people got that right!

4. Is one of these answers not a true collective description of a bird group?
A. A wedge of swans
B. A nest of pheasants
C. An ostentation of peacocks
D. An exaltation of larks

They are all correct!
TOPICS: Although there were some pretty obscure terms there, don’t you think!

5. Seabirds have the longest migration patterns. How long can these trips get?
A. 20,000 miles
B. 10,000 miles
C. 5,000 miles
D. 1,000 miles

A. 20,000 miles
TOPICS: That’s further than many humans travel in their lifetime!

6. Can you guess how many known species of birds there are?
A. 100
B. 1,000
C. 10,000
D. 100,000

C. 10,000
TOPICS: This includes all modern or recently extinct species.

7. Birds do what faster than any other animal?
A. Breathe
B. Pump their hearts
C. Chew
D. Procreate

A. Breathe
TOPICS: This is needed to sustain the high metabolism necessary for flight. For example, a flying pigeon breathes 450 times each minute, whereas a human, when running, might breathe only about 30 times each minute.

8. Is one of these answers not a true collective description of a bird group?
A. A charm of goldfinches
B. A cast of hawks
C. A watch of nightingales
D. A clowder of quail

D. A clowder of quail
TOPICS: You can have either a bevy or a covey of quail, but not a clowder. You can however have a clowder of cats!

Deanna Mascle shares more Interesting Facts and Free Trivia Questions at http://trivialtopics.net

1. Which is not a group term for birds?
A. Flock
B. Flight
C. Volery
D. Swarm

D. Swarm
TOPICS: Various insects can collectively be called a swarm but not birds!

2. Which of these is a fear of birds?
A. Alektorophobia
B. Astraphobia
C. Ornithophobia
D. Ouranophobia

C. Ornithophobia
TOPICS: Although alektorophobia was close, that is a fear of chickens! Astraphobia is the fear of lightning and Ouranophobia is the fear of heaven!

3. Is one of these birds NOT called a chick when in the nest?
A. Canary
B. Condor
C. Owl
D. Penguin

C. Owl
TOPICS: A small owl is called an owlet, but surely a condor would have a more impressive name when young?

4. What is the collective name for crows?
A. A murder
B. A clutch
C. A clutter
D. A Sleuth

A. A murder
TOPICS: You can have a clutch of chicks, a clutter of cats, and a sleuth of bears, if anyone was wondering.

5. What is the largest living species of bird?
A. Condor
B. Eagle
C. Ostrich
D. Emu

C. Ostrich
TOPICS: Did you know they are omnivorous, eating grass, foliage, and any small animals they can chase down?

6. What is the heaviest flying bird?
A. The great bustard
B. The Condor
C. The Egyptian Vulture
D. The Ostrich

A. The great bustard
TOPICS: They can weigh up to 40 pounds!

7. Which is NOT a proper name for a group of ducks?
A. Brace
B. Flock
C. Skein
D. Team

C. Skein
TOPICS: Actually that was pretty tricky as you can have a skein of geese…

8. Which is not the correct name of a baby bird?
A. A duckling
B. A cheeper
C. A fledgling
D. A chicken

D. A chicken
TOPICS: For some strange reason, baby turtles are called chickens, while baby chickens are called chicks! The other baby names are for the duck, the partridge, and the penguin.

Deanna Mascle shares more General Knowledge Quiz Questions and Free Trivia Questions at http://funtriviaonline.com/blog/