h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm going to guess that the first bird in the last row is a bee-eater, but other than that I've no idea.

I've seen the last guy in the last row on nature documentaries but don't know its name.

I knew hornbill, but couldn't think of it the other day...

I'll try Vulture for the one with the fish
I don't watch many nature programmes, but I have seen that red and black bird before... Is it a Frigatebird?
The one next to that isn't as red as the one on Goodish, but I'll guess it's a Superb Starling.
Is there a Raven?

Three corrrect answers there, but the vulture's on the top row.

Correct so far are:

Albatross
Cassowary
Eagle
Frigatebird
Gannet
Hornbill
Ibis
Jay
Kakapo
Lyrebird
Macaw
Nuthatch
Ptarmigan
Quetzal
Starling
Toucan
Vulture
Waxwing
Yellowhammer


E G V ? P
L M C J
? ?/? I Q/T N/H
? Y A W K S F

Missing letters: B D O R U

Wait! I think I might know another. Bottom left could be a blue bird. I once saw a nature show about them. IIRC they somehow rely on fire.

No, seriously. It might have been a specific bluebird, but it was something about their nesting in burned trees or something. I can't quite remember.

Maybe it was the bluebird of happiness


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GLpGjhr0Xo

Shall I put you out of your misery with this one?

I'd like to have one more go at this tonight, please

I'm not in a state of misery, Icy. I apparently got two or three "right," and that's all I'm ever going to have. It's not like one of those game shows where you get a trip to Bora Bora or a new Gasguzzler de Ville.

But you do get smiley prizes!

Ah, it was the King Vulture - I was looking at the wings rather than the head when I suggested that Fantastic colours

Is the one with the fish an Osprey?

I recognise the others, I'm sure, but I just can't name them, so I'm happy now that I've done all I can...

"But you do get smiley prizes!" [Icy]

And they are very appreciated.

There just isn't any more that I can give to this.

Game over!


You correctly identified:

Albatross
Cassowary
Eagle
Gannet
Hornbill
Ibis
Jay
Kakapo
Lyrebird
Macaw
Nuthatch
Osprey
Ptarmigan
Quetzal
Toucan
Waxwing
Yellowhammer

Unclaimed ones were:

Bittern
Drongo
Ruff
Umbrellabird


Key:

E G V R P
L M C J
U O/B I Q/T N/H
D Y A W K S F


Smiley scoreboard:

SashaQ
Gnomon
Amy, paulh
Baron Grim

I only got one, but I got the funniest, cutest, and the rarest one.

Did you know that the ptarmigan used to be a tarmigan but some neo-classicist stuck a silent p in front of it. Probably thought it was something to do with the Greek ptera meaning "wing", when in fact it is nothing to do with Greek, coming from Scots Gaelic.

Yay! Cheers Good Quiz

I was so close last night, trying to think what bird has a ruff... A Ruff of course

I've heard of Drongo, but not seen one, so that was educational

I know bittern, but didn't recognise it enough, and the umbrellabird is another one that is well named

I'm at work, so I'll have to wait until I get home to see which is which.

Thanks for that, Gnomon. I see that ptarmigan is first recorded with the silent P in 1684.

Drongo is Australian slang for a stupid person, but it's not named after the bird, but a racehorse of that name, that never won a race.


Trivia question for today:

Which bird has the Latin name Puffinus puffinus?

I'll play Alan Davies.

A puffin?