Conifers and the Birds They Support

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1. How many conifer seeds can an individual white-winged crossbill eat each day?

a. 1,000 seeds

21.2%

b. 1,500 seeds

37.8%

c. 2,500 seeds

23.3%

d. 3,000 seeds

17.8%

2. What is the purpose of the wax-like coating on conifer needles?

f. A, B, C and D

49.6%

e. A, C and D

24.8%

a. To prevent water loss inside the needle.

20.4%

d. To keep needles from freezing.

4.3%

b. To shield needle from ultraviolet radiation.

0.5%

c. To protect from atmospheric pollutants.

0.5%

3. Conifers can carry on photosynthesis throughout the year.

a. True

91.3%

b. False

8.7%

4. What owl will kill mice in rapid succession and cache them in a safe place. In winter, the owl will ‘brood’ the frozen mice to thaw them for eating.

a. Eastern screech owl

32.8%

b. Long-eared owl

19.8%

c. Short-eared owl

12.1%

d. Northern saw-whet owl

35.3%

5. What noun is NOT used to describe a group of owls?

a. Glaring

12.7%

b. Stooping

27.7%

c. Concentration

26.1%

d. Bazaar

33.5%

6. The bills of all red crossbills cross the same way.

a. True

39.0%

b. False

61.0%

7. Crossbills are so dependent on conifer seeds that they are fed seeds when young. The bill of a crossbill chick is not crossed when it hatches, but it crosses as they grow. How old must a crossbill be before its bill is crossed enough it can extract seeds itself?

a. After 12 days

13.9%

b. After 30 days

40.1%

c. After 45 days

28.7%

d. After 60 days

17.3%

8. Flight calls of eight different types have been described for red crossbills, and birds that give each type have bills of slightly different shapes.

a. True

81.9%

b. False

18.1%

9. What is a group of crossbills called?

a. Chime

45.4%

b. Warp

18.7%

c. Chain

25.9%

d. Happiness

10.0%

10. Fifty percent of the bills of white-winged crossbills cross to the right and the other half cross to the left.

a. True

51.0%

b. False

49.0%

11. What bird can be found roosting during the day approximately 11 feet above the ground in the outer branches of conifers?

a. Long-eared owl

16.1%

b. Short-eared owl

16.4%

c. Northern saw-whet owl

36.9%

d. Eastern screech owl

30.7%

12. Among these Illinois native species, which is NOT an evergreen?

c. Bald cypress

83.4%

f. Northern white-cedar

4.7%

g. Eastern redcedar

4.5%

a. Jack pine

2.9%

b. Shortleaf pine

2.3%

d. White pine

1.3%

e. Red pine

0.9%

13. Molting adult male white-winged crossbills are pink.

a. True

78.2%

b. False

21.8%

14. Which pine tree has needles in clusters of 5?

a. Red pine

6.6%

b. Eastern white pine

75.0%

c. Jack pine

13.5%

d. Shortleaf pine

4.9%

15. In winter this owl will roost close to the tree trunk in pine stands. Evidence of their presence may be 2 to 3 inch long pellets and an area covered in whitewash (bird droppings).

a. Great horned owl

51.1%

b. Northern saw-whet owl

13.2%

c. Barn owl

6.5%

d. Long-eared owl

29.1%

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