You wouldn’t necessarily think it, but birds have shaped the world as we know it today. How else would we have been inspired to take to the skies and try and fly as we’ve seen birds do for thousands of years?
How much do you really think you know about this remarkable species of animal, though? Why not put yourself to the test and EMU-se yourself with our selection of 73 bird trivia questions and answers.
Let’s kick off with some general questions about birds, just to get you warmed up. How many do you think you’ll get right? Let’s put you to the test.
1. Approximately how many different species of bird are there in the world?
10,000
2. What does RSPB stand for?
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
3. What portion of the total bird population is found in the rainforest?
Around two thirds
4. Bird shells mainly consist of which material?
Calcium
5. True or false - birds have teeth?
False
6. Birds used to have forelimbs - what did they end up evolving into?
Wings
7. Other than wings, what other parts of the bird have evolved for flight?
Their digestive and respiratory systems
8. In ancient times, what did birds and images of birds represent?
Power
9. What is the word for the study of birds?
Ornithology
10. Scientific and Popular, describe the two types of which study?
Ornithology
11. On average, how many birds are killed by cats every year in the US?
Between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion
12. What is the average size range for a bird?
It can be anywhere between 5cm and 2.75m
13. Birds are descended from a different species. Which species?
Birds are in fact, descended from reptiles
14. What would you study if you studied oology?
Oology is the study of birds’ eggs
15. What part of a bird takes up ⅕ of its body?
Its lungs
16. Why do birds sit on their eggs?
To keep them warm
17. What is the average heartbeat per minute of a bird in flight?
1000 beats per minute
Interesting Bird Species Trivia Questions & Answers
Now you’re warmed up after that first round, let’s see how you get on with round 2. These questions dive into the many species of bird that are in the world – see how much you know about bird species!
1. Which species of bird lays blue eggs?
The American Robin
2. How many eggs does an ostrich lay every year on average?
Around 70
3. Which species of bird can fly backward?
The hummingbird
4. Which species of bird can only eat when its head is upside down?
The flamingo
5. Which species of bird is commonly seen as the symbol of happiness?
The bluebird
6. The bird family Columbidae features which species of bird?
Pigeons and doves
7. What is a baby penguin called?
A chick - just like other species of bird!
8. Which bird has legs but isn’t able to use them?
The hummingbird
9. True or false - ostrich’s eyes are bigger than their brains
True
10. Which species of bird can sleep while it is flying?
The albatross
11. What bird isn’t able to move its eyes?
The owl
12. What is the only bird that can recognize itself in a mirror?
The magpie
13. What species of bird lays its eggs in another bird’s nest to avoid the responsibility of raising a chick?
The cuckoo
14. What sort of bird makes up around 60% of all birds in the world?
The songbird, which has over 6,000 species
15. How high can penguins jump?
At least 6-feet in the air
16. How tall can ostriches grow?
Up to 2.7m!
17. What do ostriches occasionally eat to help them digest their food?
Small stones and pebbles
18. A Sociable Weaver nest is one of the most remarkable bird structures you can find. How many birds can comfortably live in one though?
Up to 200!
19. Which species of bird can fly underwater?
The puffin
20. Which species of bird only has 2 toes?
The ostrich
21. Which species of bird is occasionally mistaken for an airplane?
The Californian condor
Birds and their Home Countries Trivia Questions
Some species of bird are only found in one place in the world. How much do you think you know about endemic species and where different species of bird come from? Dive into our next section looking at birds and where they’re from.
1. Which species of bird is the symbol of the US?
The bald eagle
2. What is China’s national bird?
The red-crowned crane
3. How many species of bird live in South America?
Over 3,000
4. Which species of bird is native to New Zealand?
The kiwi
5. Where in the world would you find a Korat?
Thailand
6. From which country do turkeys originate?
The US
7. Which is the only continent where you can’t find owls?
Antarctica
8. Where in the world would you find the largest colony of puffins?
The Westman islands
9. The Red Cardinal is a popular bird in North America. Which states have this species of bird as their official bird?
Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina
10. The raven is the national bird of which country?
Bhutan
11. Where would you find a kakapo?
New Zealand
12. The flamingo is the national bird of which country?
The Bahamas
13. Where would you find the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock?
Peru
14. Which colorful bird is the national bird of Nepal?
The Himalayan Mondal
15. What is so special about the Cebu Flowerpecker?
This small bird found in the Philippines was thought to be extinct, until they were rediscovered in 1992
16. Which blue-eyed bird found in Brazil was also thought to be extinct but resurfaced in 2015?
The blue-eyed Ground-Dove
17. In which rainforest would you find the Hoatzin bird?
The Amazonian rainforest
18. What is the most frequently-sighted bird in the United Kingdom?
The house sparrow
19. Which continent is the best and most well-known for bird-watching?
South America
Bird World Records Trivia Questions
As we’ve learned, birds are remarkable. Let’s see what you know about the biggest, smallest, best, and most vibrant birds of the world, though, with this bumper crop of interesting bird trivia questions and answers.
1. Which species of bird has the longest lifespan?
Parrots
2. What is the largest bird in the world?
The ostrich
3. The bee hummingbird is known for being the what bird in the world?
The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world
4. Which species of bird lays the smallest eggs?
The hummingbird
5. What accolade does the hooded pitohui have?
It is the only known poisonous bird in the world
6. What is the fastest bird in the world?
The peregrine falcon
7. Which species of bird is the most talkative bird in the world?
The African Grey parrot
8. Which bird has the longest beak in the world?
The Australian pelican
9. What is the most common species of bird in the world?
The Red-billed Quelea
10. Which country has the most bird species?
Columbia, with nearly 2,000 different species
11. Which Japanese bird species is one of the rarest in the world?
The Japanese Crested Ibis
12. Which species of bird can lay eggs that weigh up to 2kg?
The ostrich
13. What species of penguin is the largest?
The Emperor penguin
14. Which bird has the most amount of feathers?
The Whistling swan
15. Which is the only species of bird that has a beak longer than its body?
The Sword-billed hummingbird
16. How small is a hummingbird’s egg?
The same size as a pea
How did you get on with these interesting bird trivia questions and answers? We hope you’ve had a very egg-citing time and that it hasn’t been too much of a bird-en when you get them wrong!
If you’ve had an im-peck-able time with these interesting bird trivia questions and answers, then why not try some of these other trivia topics:
We hope you’ve enjoyed these interesting bird trivia questions and answers and that you’ve come away having learned something new about these beautiful animals. Why not put your friends and family to the test and see how many they get right?
