ENVIROTHON PRACTICE QUIZ

For how long has the game commission managed PA’s wildlife resources? More than 100 years

In the late 1800’s, our wildlife began to disappear as a result of… deforestation, pollution, unregulated hunting & trapping

What branch of government created the PA game commission? State Legislature

How is the PA Game Commission funded? Hunting/furtaker license sales, revenue from timber/mineral/oil/gas, tax from guns/ammunition

Name 3 species that are examples of successful wildlife management. White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey

True or False? More deer, bear, and turkeys live in PA now than when the colonists first arrived. True

List 7 species that the PA game commission has successfully reintroduced. Beavers, river otters, elk, bald eagles, fishers, ospreys, peregrine falcons

How many full-time and Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officers make up the wildlife protection force? 200 full-time & 500 deputy officers

How large an area is one full-time wildlife conservation officer responsible for? 350 square miles

What types of training do game commission officers receive? Law enforcement & wildlife management

From what school do all full-time game commission officers graduate? Ross Leffler School of Conservation

Approximately how many students are trained in the game commissions Hunter-Trapper Education Program each year? 40,000

Name 3 other education programs offered by the game commission. BOW, WILD, Bowhunter Ed.

Who must complete hunter-trapper education? All first time hunters/trappers (must be at least 11)

How old must you be to hunt? 12

How many hours of instruction must be completed as part of hunter- trapper education? 10 hour minimum

What is the cost of hunter-trapper education? No cost

Where do common and hooded mergansers lay their eggs? Tree cavities

What is North Americas largest rodent? Beaver

List 2 other names used for the American black duck. Black mallard & red leg

When do otters breed? Jan - May

What animals prey upon young muskrats? Hawks, snakes, snapping turtles, owls, fox, mink

What do Common Merganser ducks eat? Fish, fish eggs, other aquatic animals

Which PA mammal likes to play by sliding on ice or snow, wrestling, playing with sticks/stones, or shooting down muddy banks into creeks? River otter

How much does an adult beaver weigh? lbs

Which of the following beaver senses is weak: vision, hearing, smell? Vision

Is the male or female mink larger? Male

True or False? Minks turn white in the winter. False

Which PA mammal is a good fighter? Muskrat

Are diving ducks or puddle ducks better at becoming airborne? Puddle

What is another name for the Bufflehead duck? Butterball

True or False? Diving ducks form monogomous pairs. True

How many eggs are in a puddle duck clutch?

How does the voice of a male Northern Pintail sound? Flute-like whistle

What color is the speculum of the American Black duck? Violet-blue

True or False? Male Bald Eagles are larger than females. False

What do eagles eat? Fish, birds, small mammals

What color are the bills and feet of a Bald Eagle? Yellow

How many times sharper than a human’s is the Bald Eagle’s eyesight? 5 X

True or False? In PA, the status of the Bald Eagle has been upgraded to “threatened”. False - remained endangered in PA

True or False? Bald Eagles mate for life. True

In the wild, how long can Bald Eagles live? 30 years

Do eagles migrate? NO

How many eggs do female eagles lay? 2 (sometimes 1 or 3)

What is “hacking”? Maintaining a young bird in a semi- wild condition, providing food until it can fend for itself.

When was the bald eagle chosen as the United States’ national symbol? 1782

Do ospreys primarily flap or soar? Flap

Which has the greatest wingspan, bald eagle or osprey? Bald eagle: 6-8 ft Osprey: ft

What is much of the reproductive failure in eagles and ospreys due to? Man’s use of toxic chemicals to kill insects. Even though most have been banned, they remain in our food chain (drain into rivers and get into fish) because of slow break down.

What family of birds is related to storks and flamingos? Heron

What is “powder down”? Areas of feathers with tips that disintegrate into powder. Herons distribute it by preening & it serves to absorb and remove fish oil, scum and slime.

What are heron nesting colonies called? Rookeries

What are the favorite foods of the Great Blue Heron? Fish, water snakes, frogs, crayfish, mice, shrews, insects

Name 2 Great Egret favorite nesting tree types. Beech & Red Maple

Are eagle, osprey, heron, egret, and hawk eggs incubated by the female, male, or both parents? Both

When is the American Bittern active? Dusk and at night.

Do hawks have monocular or binocular vision? Explain. Binocular vision (eyes on front of face) - gives these predators depth perception.

Hawks “mantle” their prey. What does this mean? Spread their wings to form a shield that hides it from other predators.

Bluejays often mimic the piercing whistled “kee-yer” of what raptor? Red-Shouldered Hawk

Which raptor is larger, the red- shouldered hawk or the northern harrier? Red-Shouldered Hawk

What is the most common duck in the U.S., North America, and the Northern Hemisphere? Mallard

What type of duck is the Mallard? Puddle (dabbling)

When ice closes up marshes, lakes, and ponds what do mallards eat? Corn (other grains)

What is the life span of mallards? 7-9 years (but more than half die before 2)

Which duck’s scientific name (Aix sponsa) means “a waterfowl in wedding dress”? Wood Duck

True or False? Wood ducks do not quack. True

How old are wood duck ducklings when they leave the nest for the first time? 1 day

How does a Kingfisher obtain and eat prey? Hunt from perches (branches, utility wires…). Dives into water with closed eyes and grabs prey with bill. Flys back to perch, whacks fish against perch to stun, and swallows it headfirst.

When are Kingfishers active? From just before sunrise to about 10:00 am.

Where do Kingfishers nest? Burrows dug into steep banks.

How do Kingfishers avoid predators? Diving into water.