Native or Not Quiz

Use your wildlife knowledge to guess if the animals pictured are native to Illinois!

1. Gray tree frog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. House sparrow

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Long-tailed weasels

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Common starling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Red-eared Slider

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Ring-necked pheasant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Results:

1. Gray tree frog

1. 1. The gray tree frog is a species native to Illinois!
   2. This arboreal frog is well adapted to climbing – which can make it hard to spot!
   3. They can hibernate during our long, cold winters.

2. House sparrow

1. 1. The house sparrow was introduced to North America and is not native! 
   2. They’re a commonly seen species because they can thrive alongside people.
   3. Even though they take don’t venture far from urban areas, they take resources (like food and shelter) native bird species could otherwise use.

3. Long-tailed weasels

1. 1. Long-tailed weasels are native to Illinois, though they’re not easily spotted!
   2. These weasels are nocturnal predators that live in forests and wooded areas. 
   3. They take advantage of their small size to invade rodent tunnels!

4. Common starling 

1. 1. The common starling is also known as the European starling and is not native to Illinois! 
   2. Stemming from a population of 100 birds that were introduced to Central Park in New York, there are now over 200 million European Starlings in North America.
   3. They can mimic the bird calls of other types of bird. 
   4. Just like house sparrows, this invasive species thrives in urban areas.

5. Red-eared Slider

1. 1. Though red-eared sliders are native to Illinois, they are considered invasive in other parts of North America.
   2. These turtles are very popular in the pet trade, which has unfortunately resulted in them being introduced to new areas as invasive species.
   3. Wild red-eared sliders should not be caught to keep as a pet, and you should never leave your pets in the wild.
   4. Despite their name, these turtle’s ears are located under the red stripe!

6. Ring-necked pheasant

1. 1. The ring-necked pheasant was introduced to North America in the 1800’s and is not native to Illinois. 
   2. These birds have taken competing with native bird species literally through nest parasitism. They hide their eggs in another bird’s nest instead of building their own! 
   3. Ring-necked pheasants are larger than most native species and have a shorter incubation period; as a result pheasant babies outcompete the native bird’s young.

 

Sources:

• Green tree frog: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/gray-tree-frog
• House sparrow: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/house_sparrow
• Long-tailed weasel: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/conservation/wildlife/Pages/LongTailedWeasel.aspx
• European starling: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview
• Red-eared slider: http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall01%20projects/reslider.htm
• Ring-necked pheasant: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-necked_Pheasant and https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/education/Pages/ExoticBirds.aspx

Photo Credits:

• Green tree frog: Image by Pam Carter from Pixabay 
• House sparrow: Image by Rajesh Balouria from Pixabay 
• Long-tailed weasel: Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
• European starling: Photo by Brian Byrne from Pexels and Photo by Hans Veth on Unsplash
• Red-eared slider: Image by zoosnow from Pixabay  
• Ring-necked pheasant: Photo by Jack Seeds on Unsplash