How well do you know birds?

I would like to, but I'm not sure how much longer I should wait before posting questions of my own.

 

Go ahead, I’ll take any blame!

 

@Tetzoo Quizzer Okay, thank you.

1. Which bird species colonised Christmas Island and Lord Howe Island in the 1940s, and Norfolk Island in the 1970s, and is a rare vagrant to New Zealand?

2. Which bird species that is widespread in Japan has a smaller subspecies that is endemic to the Yaeyama Islands and may actually be a full species?

3. How many continents are trogons found on?

4. Which bird species became extirpated as a resident species in Armenia in part because of the water level of Lake Sevan being deliberately lowered?

5. Which Central & South American bird of prey may have had a close relative that existed in the United States as recently as the late 18th century?

6. Which two non-endemic, naturally-occurring bird species were recorded in New Zealand many times in the 19th century, but have rarely been seen there ever since?

7. Which bird species has a Japanese name whose Kanji characters can be literally translated as, "Sea Sparrow"?

8. Which bird species was famously first sighted in the United States in 2013 when one appeared in the background while a birder was filming a different bird species?

9. How many vagrant bird species are on the New Zealand list solely because of specimens that were killed over 100 years ago, and what species are they?

10. What is the sister species of the Hawaiian Crow?

 

Wow! I can answer 3 and 5 only!

 

3. 4
5. King vulture
10. New Caledonian crow?

 

2/10

6/10, though one of the answers is not what I had in mind.

 

3,4
5 king vulture
6 is one of them balck kite
10 mariana crow
i dont now the rest

 

2/10

The Black Kite is rarely seen in New Zealand, but the first confirmed record was in 1992.

 

oh tierd me was thinking 19 century = 1900. then i got no ide

but i have one more guess
8, eurasian sparrowhawk ? just a guess

 

I'm afraid not. According to what I have read on the internet, the possible Eurasian Sparrowhawk that was seen on Adak Island in 2013 was not filmed, and was only visually recorded by way of some photographs that were sadly not clear enough for a certain ID.

 

I feel that enough time has passed since I posted my questions, so I am happy to announce @TeaLovingDave as the winner of this set. Here are the answers:

1. Nankeen Kestrel (Falco cenchroides). In at least the mid-to-late 20th century, the species was a quite-regular vagrant to New Zealand and it was hoped that the species would eventually start breeding there. The Nankeen Kestrel has never been recorded breeding in New Zealand to date, and has been seen in New Zealand much less frequently over the past twenty years.

2. Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos). The Yaeyama Jungle Crow (C. m. osai) may be a full species.

3. Four: North America, South America, Africa, and Asia.

4. Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca). According to the Handbook of the Birds of Armenia (Adamian & Klem, 1999), "The disappearance of this species as a breeding bird is attributed to the lowering of Lake Sevan, destruction of the main nesting area near the town of Sevan, and the conversion of Sevan Island into a resort peninsula". The Velvet Scoter still occurs in Armenia as a rare summer migrant or vagrant.

5. King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa).

6. White-eyed Duck (Aythya australis) and Red-necked Avocet (Recurvirostra novaehollandiae). The White-eyed Duck may have bred in New Zealand during the period when it was recorded there many times and it had a Māori name; Karakahia. The Red-necked Avocet is the rarer of the two species in New Zealand, with no confirmed records since a single bird that was at Westport from 1968 to 1970, versus the White-eyed Duck, which has had multiple confirmed records from the 21st century.

7. Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Its Japanese name in Kanji is 海雀; Umisuzume.

8. Rufous-necked Wood Rail (Aramides axillaris).


9. At least eight species: Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), Macquarie Island Shag (Leucocarbo purpurascens), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Corncrake (Crex crex), Australian Crake (Porzana fluminea), Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), and Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata).

10. Rook (Corvus frugilegus).

 

Regarding no 8; wow!

 

Nankeen Kestrels as a whole have become much rarer than a few decades ago due to widespread rodent poisoning, so a much lower population in Australia means it is even less likely for individuals to turn up in New Zealand.

 

Can anyone here think of a good way to revive this thread? I'm stuck.

 

Single questions, first to answer sets the next one?

 

Sounds good to me

 

Okay, I'll go with that.

Which bird species that migrates to the tropical Pacific during the non-breeding season has only been recorded three times in New Zealand and never in Australia?

 

I feel like this is a shorebird but I'm not sure which one. I want to say Wandering Tattler but that doesn't seem right...

 

I'm afraid not. You're on the right track, but think larger.