| 1. What is a scarecrow? A. A device to scare birds B. | | | | and where dialects were rife, there are a wide range |
| A device to keep farmers company C. A device to | | | | of alternative names. Which is not another name for |
| motivate gardeners D. A device to entertain visitors | | | | scarecrow? A. Mommet B. Murmet C. Hodmedod D. |
| A. A device to scare birds TOPICS: A scarecrow is a | | | | Tattie bogle E. They are all scarecrow names E. They |
| device (traditionally a mannequin) that is used to | | | | are all scarecrow names TOPICS: It is the Mommet in |
| discourage birds such as crows from disturbing crops. | | | | Somerset, the Murmet in Devon, the Hodmedod in |
| 2. Why is it a scarecrow instead of a scarebird? A. | | | | Berkshire, and the Tattie bogle in Scotland. 7. One of |
| Crows are more easily frightened B. Crows are not | | | | the oldest designs of bird scarer is the scarecrow in |
| easily frightened C. Crows are the biggest problem | | | | the shape of a human figure, but humans have |
| bird D. Crows are the least problem bird C. Crows are | | | | created many different forms of bird scarers. Which |
| the biggest problem bird TOPICS: Crows are large | | | | is a real bird scarer? A. Bubbles B. Balloons C. Kites D. |
| and eat a lot plus they are smart and tend to | | | | B and C D. B and C TOPICS: It's true both balloons |
| congregate in large groups. The combination makes | | | | and kites are used to scare birds although reportedly |
| them one of the biggest problem birds for farmers | | | | the kites are more effective as many species of bird |
| and gardeners. 3. What other types of "scares" do | | | | are also naturally afraid of predators such as birds of |
| gardeners and farmers use to repel crows? A. | | | | prey. 8. Are there any living scarecrows outside of |
| Reflective ribbons B. Noise guns C. Dead crows D. | | | | the Wizard of Oz? A. Humans B. Dogs C. Cats D. |
| Pictures of cats E. A, B, and C E. A, B, and C | | | | Birds E. B and D E. B and D TOPICS: The control of |
| TOPICS: Modern scarecrows seldom take a human | | | | birds by trained border collies has been used at |
| shape. On California farmland, highly reflective | | | | aerodromes, golf courses and agricultural land. Falcons |
| aluminized PET film ribbons are tied to the plants to | | | | and hawks have also been used successfully to |
| create shimmers from the sun. Another approach are | | | | control not only birds but rodent populations. The |
| automatic noise guns powered with propane gas. In | | | | success of this method of bird control is based on |
| the southern Appalachians another common method | | | | the fact that many birds have a natural fear of |
| of scaring off crows was use of a dead crow hung | | | | falcons and hawks as predators, so their presence in |
| upside down from a pole. 4. How are crows a | | | | the area encourages problem species to disperse. 9. |
| problem? A. Eat recently cast seed B. Pull up recently | | | | What "toy" is often used to scare birds? A. Squirt |
| sprouted corn and other plants C. Return to the | | | | gun B. Model airplane C. Bicycle D. Baseball bat B. |
| same place nightly D. Gather in a group of 20 to 30 E. | | | | Model airplane TOPICS: Radio-controlled model aircraft |
| All of the above E. All of the above TOPICS: Crows | | | | have been used to scare or 'haze' bird pests since |
| can be a problem in Spring gardens. They can work | | | | the early 1980s, mainly over airfields, but have also |
| down a row pulling up recently sprouted corn to eat | | | | been used over agricultural areas, fisheries and landfill |
| the remaining seed/seedlings. Not only do crows feed | | | | sites. This method has been shown to be very |
| on recently cast seed, they also gather nightly, | | | | effective and birds habituate more slowly to a |
| starting with groups of a half dozen which then unite | | | | treatment in which they are being actively hazed. 10. |
| to form a group of 20 to 30 and so on until the flock | | | | Ultrasonic scarers are electronic devices that produce |
| is quite large and noisy. It is their habit to return to | | | | what kind of sound? A. Too high a pitch for people |
| the same place each night. 5. According to L. Frank | | | | to hear B. Too low a pitch for people to hear C. Too |
| Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", the | | | | bass a pitch for people to hear D. Too treble a pitch |
| scarecrow wanted what more than anything? A. A | | | | for people to hear A. Too high a pitch for people to |
| home B. A brain C. A heart D. Courage B. A brain | | | | hear TOPICS: Ultrasonic scarers are electronic devices |
| TOPICS: The scarecrow was commonly used in 19th | | | | that produce high volume ultrasound. The sound is |
| century English Literature, as shown by its presence | | | | designed to be too high pitched for people to hear, |
| in the L. Frank Baum tale The Wonderful Wizard of | | | | but audible to most birds. This has the advantage to |
| Oz, as one of the main protagonists. The Scarecrow | | | | preventing disturbance to neighbouring households. |
| of Oz was searching for brains from the Great | | | | However, these can be heard by some people, |
| Wizard. In the film The Wizard of Oz The Scarecrow | | | | particularly females and the young, and although this |
| of Oz was portraited by Ray Bolger. 6. In the United | | | | ability is generally lost with age it can cause |
| Kingdom, where the use of scarecrows as a | | | | discomfort and even headaches for those in |
| protector of crops goes back to times immemorial, | | | | proximity who have sensitive high-range hearing. |