| Answer Key Birds and Mammals | |
| 1. Why do birds need to eat a lot of food? | |
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Answer: In order to fly, birds require a great deal of energy, which they get from eating.
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| 2. What type of beak does the bullfinch have? What type of food does it eat? | |
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Answer: The bullfinch has a strong, short stubby beak that makes it easy for it to crack and eat seeds and oak buds.
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| 3. Describe the golden eagle\'s beak and what it eats. | |
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Answer: The golden eagle has a large hooked beak which is perfect for tearing and ripping meat and fish.
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| 4. Describe the parts of an egg. Which part is the baby bird? | |
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Answer: The egg has an inner yellow yolk which is the food for the baby bird and where the first tiny bird cell begins. The white area around the yolk is the bird’s protection and the outer shell further protects it.
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| 5. Describe Wanda’s song. Have you ever heard birds sing like this? | |
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Answer: Students will describe the audio clip of the wood thrush’s song. Most likely students have heard similar sounds before.
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| 6. Why is Wanda “neotropical?” | |
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Answer: Wanda and other birds like her spend the cold winters in Latin American countries where it is warm. When spring comes, they fly back up north to the U.S. and Canada.
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| 7. Describe the four types of feathers found on birds. | |
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Answer: Contour feathers are light but strong and streamline the bird making it smooth and aerodynamic. Down feathers are soft and fuzzy and located close to the body to help keep the bird warm. Flight feathers are a type of contoured feather located on the wings and they help the bird to fly. Tail feathers are also long and streamlined and they are used to balance, steer, and brake.
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| 8. Describe one bird that is of particular interest to you. What does it look like and what is it doing in the video clip? | |
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Answer: Students will offer a variety of answers here.
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| 9. List at least five mammals. | |
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Answer: Students should list at least five or more mammals.
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| 10. Give one example of a monotreme. | |
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Answer: Students’ answers will vary. Examples include the anteater and the platypus.
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| 11. Give two examples of marsupials. | |
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Answer: Students may suggest kangaroos, koalas, bandicoots, Tasmanian devils, opossums, wombats, etc.
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| 12. Why is the ocean a challenging habitat? | |
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Answer: The ocean is salt water and usually cold and contains many predators. Animals that live in marine environments develop thick fur and skins to keep them warm.
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| 13. Describe the two animals that you chose to learn more about. | |
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Answer: Students should describe two animals in addition to those required by the directions.
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| 14. Why are koalas not bears? | |
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Answer: Bears are placental mammals and give birth to live babies. Koalas are marsupials.
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| 15. How well did you do? How far did you get by memory? How many times did you have to look at the map? | |
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Answer: Answers will vary; most students will refer to the map to get through the course, but they should elaborate on how far they got without “cheating.”
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