B i r d . B r a i n s . Q u i z z e s
	Collier County Audubon Society ~ Naples, Florida
	What's the difference between a bird call and a bird song? ANSWER   What is the smallest wood warbler that's found in Collier County? ANSWER   Which North American heron is most inclined to forage using foot-raking? ANSWER   Which flying birds never ever glide or soar? ANSWER   What are halcyon days? ANSWER   Which U.S. state used to be known as "The Eagle State"? ANSWER   Which American wood warbler has the most specialized feeding technique? ANSWER   Where does the name titmouse come from, and what does it mean? ANSWER   What is the difference between a pigeon and a dove? ANSWER   During what time of year are Prairie Warblers found in prairies? ANSWER   Do birds chew their food? ANSWER   Relative to its size, which owl had the longest legs? ANSWER   Why do the eggs of different birds have different shapes? ANSWER   What is the smallest North American heron, and about how much does it weigh? ANSWER   What raptor found in Collier County is also called a "duck hawk"? ANSWER   Why do some birds have such heavily pigmented feathers in their tails and wings? ANSWER   Why is there so much variation in the color of Osprey eggs? ANSWER   Do birds dream? ANSWER   What is the only bird that drinks water the way that people do? ANSWER   What is a buzzard, and are any found in Collier County? ANSWER   What bird found in Collier County is the most prolific avian ant eater in the world? ANSWER   What large shorebird found at Sand Dollar and Caxambas Pass has a long straight bill that appears to curve up? ANSWER   What bird has a unique adaptation to prevent sand and debris from getting under its wings when it scratch feeds? ANSWER   Why aren't Blue Jay feathers blue? ANSWER   What is Southwest Florida's largest native bird, by weight? ANSWER   What large bird (6-foot wing spread) which breeds in the Canadian maritimes has been seen more frequently near Naples this year? ANSWER   What native North American bird is the most prolific breeder? ANSWER   Before House Sparrows became abundant, what was the most common city sparrow? ANSWER   Other than Bald Eagles, toward what birds are nesting Ospreys aggressive? ANSWER   Are any birds that are found in Collier County unable to walk on the ground? ANSWER   What hunting technique makes the Brown Pelican unique in the world? ANSWER   What is the purpose of the male Magnificent Frigatebird's large red pouch? ANSWER   What are the four largest shorebirds that frequent our beaches? ANSWER   What small brown year-round resident bird may nest in nooks around homes and gardens? ANSWER   What small brown warbler that regularly winters here nests the furthest north? ANSWER   Do birds have a sense of taste? ANSWER   Are black vultures and turkey vultures raptors? ANSWER   What's going on when large birds pose like satellite dishes? ANSWER   Do all Brown Pelicans have black pouches? ANSWER   What is the primary food of Scrub Jays? ANSWER   Do any non-exotic birds in Collier County have actual green feathers? ANSWER   Why should we not cut down large dead trees after events such as Wilma? ANSWER   Some birds have "runny noses" ... who, why, and how? ANSWER   What is "mobbing" and why do birds do it? ANSWER   What bird that winters in Southwest Florida migrates the furthest to breed? ANSWER   How do perching birds lock their feet on branches to keep from falling off when asleep? ANSWER   What is a goatsucker, and why is it called that? ANSWER   Why do some birds hop while other birds walk? ANSWER   Why do so many birds have darker colors on top and lighter colors below? ANSWER   Is there a difference between a bill and a beak? ANSWER   What's the difference between a precocial bird and an altricial bird? ANSWER   What is the difference between the calls of the Chuck-will's-widow and the Whip-poor-will? ANSWER   Most fishing birds capture fish by grasping prey with their bills. How are Anhingas different? ANSWER   What bird does not need contact lenses to change the color of its eyes/irises? ANSWER   Why are Painted Buntings so hard to find in Collier County during the summer and fall? ANSWER   What is the most important reason for birds to have Latin names? ANSWER   Why do some shorebird names start with "semipalmated"? ANSWER   Can you name one adaptation that has made it easier for birds to fly? ANSWER   Red-shouldered Hawks have loud, distinct calls. What other bird mimics that call very well? ANSWER   Most birds have four toes. Can you name one that has less? ANSWER   Which (if any) birds other than owls regurgitate indigestible parts of food called pellets? ANSWER   What's the difference between the beach nests of Least Terns and Black Skimmers? ANSWER   What kind of nest does a Turkey Vulture build? ANSWER

Bird news

Ted's 2006 Summer Observations:

• July 21: Summer's Over

 

Ted's 2005 Summer Observations:

• June 7 : morphing Great Blue/White Herons
• June 22: summer White Pelican
• August 31: a first for Collier County-- Buff-breasted Sandpiper (right)

 

Ted's 2004 Summer Observations:

• July 1: Willets are back, some in breeding colors
• July 5: Kingfishers are back at Corkscrew
• July 12: A Kingfisher on Marco, plus many Sandwich Terns
• July 14: Piping Plovers and breeding-plumed Western Sandpiper & Short-billed Dowitcher
• July 21: Gray Kingbirds ready to go
• July 28: More Sandwich Terns and a Long-billed Curlew

 

 

Bird notes

Kinesis in shorebird bills: Kinesis (Greek for movement)

In some (maybe all) long billed shorebirds the birds are able to open, close and sense with the tip of the bill. This allows them to probe in mud, sand, water etc. and not only feel pray but grasp it without opening the whole bill and ingesting goop.

An example of this flexibility is shown in the photo at the right: a Short-billed Dowitcher, for some reason (social display ??), is seen with what appears to be extreme Kinesis. I have verified this in three shorebird species; Willet, Western Sandpiper and Short-billed Dowitcher.

Ted Below

 

Birding miscellany

Accidental (Birds are highly mobile; some get lost and provide new records for an area, including Collier County.)

Are Birds Free? (Even out in the hinterlands of Collier County birds are getting kicked around by man)

Coastal Waterbirds & A Mystery Booby (Fall migrations can bring some unusual and confusing species)

Common Names (What is in a name? Everything, when you want to understand what is being written or talked about.)

Eurasian Collared Dove Nesting Preferences (Here's a possible reason why they are more prolific than natives)

Hurricane Visitor (Hurricane Charley brings a new species to Southwest Florida)

Second Chance (Least Terns take advantage of a second chance to raise their young, away from people)

Seeing or Watching? (Don't twitch -- watch! Some of the best shows in town are free)

White Feathers (Most adult Little Blue Herons are all blue, but a very strangely colored one occurred in Collier County)

Steve Carbol's birding pages

from the Audugram: Swainson's Thrush ~

Backyard birding resources

Bird feeding and other backyard ideas (from Cornell University's Project FeederWatch)

Creating a bird-friendly backyard (from National Birdfeeding Society)

 

For additional links to birding information, please visit the LINKS page.

Online birding guides

Important Birding Areas in Florida

A2Z4Birders Online Guide

Life Histories of Familiar North American Birds by Arthur Cleveland Bent

Additional bird checklists

more Collier County lists -- for specific areas

Big Cypress National Preserve

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (most commonly observed wildlife including birds, mammals, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians)

Eagle Lakes Community Park

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park

Sand Dollar Island (off Tigertail Beach on Marco Island)

 

other Florida county lists

Alachua County ~ Big Bend area ~ Pinellas County ~ Polk County ~ Sarasota County ~ Volusia County

 

Florida state lists

Florida Ornithological Society (F.O.S.)

lists for National Wildlife Refuges in Florida

 

North America list

American Birding Association (A.B.A.)

 

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These pages contain links to both public agency sites and private commercial sites. The Collier County Audubon Society does not endorse any of the sites listed nor has the material on these sites been verified for accuracy.

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since May 10, 2004