Answers to bird quiz

1. Yes a blackbird is black and people think it is because black is conspicuous against almost everything in nature so if a blackbird wants to be seen then black isn't a bad colour to be.

2. There are currently 17 species of penguins and they are: Adelie, African, Chinstrap, Emporer, Erect, Crested, Fairy, Fjordland, Galapagos, Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Macaroni, Magellanic, Rockhopper, Royal, Snares Island and yellow eyed.

3. The Bullockornis.

4. The t-rex.

5. Pinguinos.

6.Aptenodytes Forsteri

7. A fairly small and swift Falcon.

8. I'm not sure but is it the Elf owl?

9. They are common all through out europe.

10. Troglodyte which means cave dweller.

Also a good site to visit about penguins is http:// www.gdargaud.net/Antarctica/PenguinFAQ.html

I hope most of these are right mirP and Kitty Kat.

:)

MARA

Scientific name: Dolichotis Patagonum.

The Mara comes from the south of America and lives in grasslands. They can grow up to 40cm high, 72cm in lenght and can weigh up to around 12kg. They are herbivorous and eat grasses and herbs. So in the summer when everything is dry they head for the ponds where grass is still growing. Then can run up to 45km when escaping predators which is mainly the Andean fox but can sometimes bo hunted by the Maned wolf. Having longer back legs also helps them escape. Maras stay with the same partners for their hole lifes and the males stay close to the females and guard them from other males. The mother Maras dig burrows to put their babies in with many other babies which kind of makes it a communial creche! One by one the mothers come and check on their babies. They know which one is theirs by their scent. All of the babies want milk but they must wait for their owns mums to come before they get fed. They make lots of grunting noises as their mums come to feed them. I wish that they lived in New Zealand!

The Spanish Lynx

The Spanish Lynx lives mainly in the southern part of Spain but can be found in isolated parts of Portugal. It feeds mostly on rabbit but can tend to snack on Deer fawn during the winter season. They can be mistaken for the Eurasion Lynx but the Spanish Lynx's coat is a lighter colour of yellow/brown. It is also half the size of an Eurasion Lynx and has long legs, prominent ear tufts and a very short tail. It is hunted heavily because of it's coat and is very rare through out the world. Mating is believed to occur during January and usually the Spanish Lynx has 1-5 kittens. The Kittens are independant at around 8 weeks old. They can live up to 14yrs average and weigh 15-25kg. Their body length in between 850mm-1100mm. Even though they are protectedin a reserev they are still legal to hunt everywhere else!!

Pig

You may know the saying "You're sweating like a pig" but as a true fact pigs don't actuallly sweat. They cool off by wallowing in the mud and that is why they are known as "dirty" animals. But pigs are hygienic animals and always seem to go toilet in the same place. They are really itelligent animals and have a great sense of direction. They could find their way home from a far distance. When piglets live around people they lern their names in around 2-3 weeks. Pigs live in social areas and groups and greet their friends by giving a nose to nose rub! So cute! Pigs tend to use their snouts to search for things. They can find mushrooms, roots and fruits to eat. They have a very strong bond with their parents and I have a very strong bond with my piglet Murtle!

Margay Cat

The Margay cat weighs between 2-3 kgs. Their body length varies from 450mm to 800mm. They usually have one kitten in each litter and can live up up to 18yrs. They can also be known as the long tailed spotted cat. They look a lot like the Ocelot but their body is smaller and has longer legs and tail. They live in mexico, peru, the north of Argentina and some parts of Paraguay. They are a smaller relative of the Tiger cat and the Oncilla. They have dark ringed rossete markings on a tawny background. The Margay hunts mostly at night with their prey being birds, small monkeys, tree frogs and insects. They are sadly almost extinct but will always be remebered by me!