How to Identify and Classify Ducks
  • 1. Which of these is NOT a key characteristic used to identify ducks?
A) Plumage Pattern
B) Bill Shape
C) Foot Size
D) Habitat
  • 2. What is the primary food source for dabbling ducks?
A) Insects
B) Seeds only on dry land
C) Aquatic Plants
D) Fish
  • 3. Which duck dives completely underwater to find food?
A) Dabbling Duck
B) Diving Duck
C) Whistling Duck
D) Sea Duck
  • 4. What bill shape is most common in dabbling ducks?
A) Spoon-shaped
B) Narrow and Pointed
C) Broad and Flat
D) Hooked
  • 5. What is sexual dimorphism?
A) Similar appearance between ducklings
B) Differences in appearance between male and female
C) Ability to change color
D) Mating rituals
  • 6. Which of these ducks is known for its saw-like bill?
A) Merganser
B) Pintail
C) Teal
D) Mallard
  • 7. What is the typical habitat of a sea duck?
A) Freshwater lakes
B) Ocean
C) Rivers
D) Ponds
  • 8. What is a group of ducks called?
A) Herd
B) Raft
C) School
D) Flock
  • 9. Which duck is known for its distinctive whistling sound?
A) Ruddy Duck
B) Canvasback
C) Mallard
D) Whistling Duck
  • 10. What is the function of the lamellae in a duck's bill?
A) Attracting mates
B) Digging in mud
C) Defense against predators
D) Filtering food from water
  • 11. Which duck has a characteristic blue wing patch called a speculum?
A) Mallard
B) Bufflehead
C) Wood Duck
D) Ring-necked Duck
  • 12. Which type of duck builds its nest in tree cavities?
A) Pintail
B) Shoveler
C) Scaup
D) Wood Duck
  • 13. What is the primary reason ducks migrate?
A) For exercise
B) To socialize
C) To escape predators
D) To find food and breeding grounds
  • 14. What is the purpose of preening in ducks?
A) To cool down
B) To attract mates
C) To remove parasites
D) To maintain waterproof feathers
  • 15. Which of these ducks is a diving duck?
A) Northern Shoveler
B) Gadwall
C) American Wigeon
D) Canvasback
  • 16. What is the main difference between dabbling and diving ducks in terms of how they take flight?
A) Diving ducks leap directly into the air, while dabbling ducks need a running start.
B) Dabbling ducks can leap directly into the air, while diving ducks need a running start.
C) Diving ducks cannot fly at all.
D) Dabbling ducks can only fly short distances.
  • 17. Which duck is known for its large, spatulate (spoon-shaped) bill?
A) Ruddy Duck
B) Northern Shoveler
C) Lesser Scaup
D) Green-winged Teal
  • 18. What type of nest does a Mallard typically build?
A) Floating nest
B) Ground nest near water
C) Nest on cliff edges
D) Tree cavity nest
  • 19. Which of these is a common predator of ducklings?
A) Earthworms
B) Snapping Turtles
C) Deer
D) Squirrels
  • 20. What is the function of the uropygial gland (preen gland)?
A) Detects magnetic fields for navigation
B) Secretes oil to waterproof feathers
C) Produces digestive enzymes
D) Filters salt from water
  • 21. Which duck has a steep forehead and triangular bill profile?
A) Bufflehead
B) Pintail
C) Eider
D) Ruddy Duck
  • 22. The 'eclipse plumage' in ducks refers to:
A) Dull, drab plumage males have after breeding.
B) Bright plumage males have during breeding season.
C) The plumage of old or sick ducks.
D) Plumage of juvenile ducks.
  • 23. Which duck is known for the white patch on its head?
A) Bufflehead
B) Ring-necked Duck
C) Scaup
D) Eider
  • 24. What do ducklings typically eat in their early stages of life?
A) Insects and invertebrates
B) Fish
C) Seeds and grains
D) Algae
  • 25. Which of these ducks nests in colonies?
A) Wood Duck
B) Eider
C) Mallard
D) Pintail
  • 26. Which duck is known for its rapid wingbeats in flight?
A) Canvasback
B) Mallard
C) Eider
D) Teal
  • 27. What is the benefit of a duck's webbed feet?
A) Efficient swimming and propulsion in water
B) Enhanced digging ability
C) Improved walking on land
D) Better grip on tree branches
  • 28. Which duck commonly forms large flocks, especially during migration and winter?
A) Wood Duck
B) Scaup
C) Mallard
D) Pintail
  • 29. What characteristic distinguishes the male Northern Pintail from the female?
A) The female is much larger.
B) The male has a long, pointed tail.
C) The male has brighter colored feet.
D) The female has a longer neck.
  • 30. Which term describes a duck's ability to survive cold temperatures?
A) Cold hardiness
B) Osmoregulation
C) Thermoregulation
D) Hibernation
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