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