Question 1

Which of the following best defines migration in birds?

Accepted Answer

A seasonal movement from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding.

Question 2

The Arctic Tern is known for having the longest migration of any vertebrate. Approximately how far does it travel each year?

Accepted Answer

About 71,000 km (44,000 miles)

Question 3

Which of the following is the primary reason why fat is the preferred fuel for migratory birds?

Accepted Answer

Fat yields approximately twice as much energy and metabolic water as carbohydrates or proteins.

Question 4

Refer to the following energy yields for migration fuels:

$$	ext{Fat: 38.9 kJ, Carbohydrate: 17.6 kJ, Protein: 17.2 kJ}

If a $$bird needs 77.8 kJ of energy for a migratory flight, how much fat would it need to metabolize?

Accepted Answer

$$2$$ grams

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a major migratory flyway in North America?

Accepted Answer

Rocky Mountain Flyway

Question 6

Why do birds in North America generally migrate along north-south routes?

Accepted Answer

Because the orientation of coasts, major mountain ranges, and river valleys runs north-south.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes 'Zugunruhe'?

Accepted Answer

Migratory restlessness observed in birds during spring and fall.

Question 8

A Blackpoll Warbler can fly non-stop for 80–90 hours from the Northeast coast of North America to northern South America. What is a human equivalent of this feat?

Accepted Answer

Running 4-minute miles for 80 hours straight.

Question 9

Which of the following is a benefit of migration that helps balance its high costs?

Accepted Answer

Year-round activity and predictable opportunities for feeding and breeding.

Question 10

Which of the following is the correct sequence for the evolution of migratory behavior in birds?

Accepted Answer

Partial migration → Division into migratory and resident populations → Fully disjunct migration

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT one of the five main navigational tools used by birds during migration?

Accepted Answer

Echolocation

Question 12

Why is it advantageous for birds to use multiple navigational tools during migration?

Accepted Answer

It provides safeguards in case one or more navigational tools fail due to environmental conditions.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the role of geomagnetism in bird migration?

Accepted Answer

It provides an initial orientation or 'map' for long-distance navigation.

Question 14

A researcher 'clock-shifts' a group of homing pigeons by altering their light-dark cycle. What is the expected result when these pigeons are released on a sunny day?

Accepted Answer

They will orient in the wrong direction because their internal clock is out of sync with the sun.

Question 15

Which of the following is a 'zeitgeber' that can entrain circadian and circannual rhythms in birds?

Accepted Answer

Photoperiod (day length)

Question 16

Which life history trait is typically highest in temperate resident birds compared to migrants and tropical residents?

Accepted Answer

Productivity

Question 17

A Rufous Hummingbird migrates about 12,800 km round trip each year. If its body length is 3 inches, approximately how many body lengths does it travel in a year?

Accepted Answer

About 156,940,000 body lengths

Question 18

Which of the following is a plausible reason why some birds, such as Crossbills, are considered nomadic wanderers rather than true migrants?

Accepted Answer

Their movements are influenced by patchy, irruptive food sources rather than predictable seasonal changes.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the costs of migration is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

More than 50% of passerines in the Northern Hemisphere do not return to their breeding grounds after migration.

Question 20

Which navigation method is most likely to be used by waterfowl and raptors for both short- and long-distance flights?

Accepted Answer

Visual landmarks

Migration and Navigation in Vertebrates: Mechanisms, Patterns, and Evolution

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