Short Questions
1. What was Shubhangi’s family doing when the story begins?
Ans:- Shubhangi with her family was having tea and breakfast in their garden.
2. What did Shubhangi first mistake the tailor bird for?
Ans:- Shubhangi first mistook the tailor bird for a sparrow.
3. Why is the tailor bird called by that name?
Ans:- It stitches its nest with green leaves and fibres of trees, so it is called a tailor bird.
4. Why should the female bird be dull in colour, according to Devangi?
Ans:- The female bird should be dull to hide itself from hunters, as it is supposed to continue generations.
5. What is the Indian Grey Hornbill’s beak like?
Ans:- Its beak or bill has an extra portion like a horn, and that’s why it is called hornbill.
6. How does the female hornbill seal her nest, and who helps her?
Ans:- The female enters the nest hollow and seals it using mud-pellets supplied by the male.
7. Why is the hornbill called ‘Vahu ghelo’ in some areas?
Ans:- It is called Vahu ghelo for its caring behaviour towards the female, meaning one who takes extra care of his wife.
8. What is a weaver bird known as in Gujarati, and what does that name mean?
Ans:- It is known as ‘Sughari’ in Gujarati, meaning one who builds a beautiful house.
9. What kind of grass do weaver birds prefer for their nests?
Ans:- Weaver birds prefer long thread-like grass leaves to build their nests.
10. Why are vultures called scavengers?
Ans:- They are called scavengers because they clean our surroundings by eating the rotten dead bodies.
11. Why is diclofenac harmful to vultures?
Ans:- Diclofenac is very harmful for the vulture; after eating flesh treated with it, the vulture slowly dies within a few days.
12. Why have sparrows disappeared from human habitats, according to Devangi?
Ans:- They have left us because we have destroyed their homes by designing houses in such a way that birds cannot enter or nest in them.
13. Name some birds that come to India as migratory guests.
Ans:- Birds like pelicans, cranes, various ducks and rosy pastors travel thousands of kilometres to India.
14. When does the rosy pastor arrive in India, and when does it return?
Ans:- The rosy pastor arrives in India in June/July from Europe and returns in March/April.
15. In what shape do cranes, ducks and geese fly during migration?
Ans:- Cranes, ducks and geese fly in a formation of ‘V’ shape.
Long Questions
1. How did Devangi correct Shubhangi about the tailor bird, and how are the male and female tailor birds different?
Ans:- Shubhangi exclaimed that a beautiful sparrow was chirping, but Devangi corrected her, explaining it was not a sparrow but a tailor bird, since its colour was yellowish green and it was smaller than a sparrow. Shubhangi then mentioned that the day before, the bird’s colour had been rust. Devangi explained that the yellowish-green one was a male and the rust-coloured one was a female, and that in almost all species, the female is dull in comparison with the male.
2. Why are female birds generally duller in colour than male birds?
Ans:- According to Devangi, there are two major types of birds: birds of prey and small birds. Birds of prey hunt small birds for food. The female bird should be dull in colour so that she can hide herself from hunters, since it is her role to continue generations by laying eggs and raising young ones. This natural design helps protect the species.
3. Describe the Indian Grey Hornbill and its nesting habits.
Ans:- The Indian Grey Hornbill is common in the Indian subcontinent. It has grey feathers all over the body with light grey and dull belly. Its habitat is both in the wild and in urban areas, especially large trees. Its beak has an extra portion like a horn, which is why it is called a hornbill. It nests in hollows of tall trees. The female enters the nest hollow and seals it using mud-pellets supplied by the male. The male takes care of the female and the newborn chicks by supplying food to them throughout the day.
4. Describe how weaver birds (Sughari) build their nests.
Ans:- The weaver bird is known as ‘Sughari’ in Gujarati, meaning one who builds a beautiful house. Weaver birds prefer long thread-like grass leaves to build their nests. It is the male weaver bird that builds the nest, and it takes nearly 18 days to complete the nest building. When the nest is half completed, the male invites the female for pairing by singing. If she accepts the nest, both of them finish it together; if she doesn’t accept it, the nest is abandoned. A male often makes many nests during the nesting season.
5. Why are vultures important, and why is their population decreasing?
Ans:- Vultures are called scavengers because they clean our surroundings by eating the rotten dead bodies of animals, known as carcasses. Their beak is designed to tear the flesh from dead bodies. However, people now use medicine like diclofenac to cure sick cattle. When such treated cattle die and a vulture eats its body, the diclofenac proves very harmful, and the vulture slowly dies within a few days. As a result, nearly 97% of the vulture population has been lost.
6. Why have sparrows disappeared, and how can we bring them back?
Ans:- According to Devangi, sparrows have left human surroundings because we have destroyed their homes. We have designed our houses in such a way that birds cannot enter them, and we do not allow them to nest in our premises, so they no longer feel safe living with us. To bring them back, Devangi suggests preparing sparrow nests with cardboard boxes, not feeding birds harmful food like Ganthiyas, and putting grains like rice and millet along with water in a dish for them.
7. Describe the migratory birds that visit India and where they come from.
Ans:- Every year, thousands of birds come to India as guests from Europe, Siberia and other cold countries. Birds like pelicans, cranes, various ducks and rosy pastors travel thousands of kilometres to fly to India. The rosy pastor, which looks like a myna with dull brown and pink colour, arrives in India in June/July from Europe and returns in March/April.
8. How do migratory birds travel without a map, and what patterns do they follow?
Ans:- Migratory birds take help of the Sun to find their way while travelling. They travel in the early morning and, during their return migration, they fly in the evening. Migratory birds fly in different patterns—birds like cranes, ducks and geese fly in a formation of ‘V’ shape, while certain ducks, warblers and flycatchers travel in groups.
9. What tips does Devangi give for bird watching?
Ans:- Devangi tells Shubhangi to remember these steps while birding: first, see the colour of the bird; second, observe its size; third, notice the shape and length of the bill and tail; and fourth, notice the place of sight, like whether it is perched on a tree or wire, in a water body, open ground, grassland or sky. She also suggests giving a close friend’s name to a bird whose nature or characteristic matches with the friend.
10. In what ways are birds helpful to us, according to Mitra?
Ans:- Mitra tells Shubhangi that we need birds on the earth because they eat up insects that are harmful to our crops. They are also helpful in spreading seeds. They entertain us with their sweet calls, and we should take care of birds because they are the true indicators of a healthy environment.
Leave a Reply