Natural History Riddles

Happy Friday! Celebrate the weekend with another fun round of…

(October edition)

How to play: Read the three riddles below and see if you can guess which Washington State person, place, cultural object, or living thing we are referring to in the riddle. Post your guesses in the comments and check back on Monday to see the answers!

Update: The answers have been posted! Scroll down to see them.

Question #1:
My young are the size of a grain of rice, but we can reach 600 pounds!
A mantle of redd-ish brown color but can change with the blink of an eye;
You can find me under the rolling waves of Puget Sound.

What am I?


Question 2:
One of the oldest tools discovered on this continent
Shares its name with early peoples of North America
Has been found with the remains of ice age animals

What am I?


Question #3:
A transportation hub
A 12,000 year old giant sloth laid beneath its grounds

Where am I?


Answers below:

Answer #1: Giant Pacific Octopus

Photo courtesy of Bachrach44.

Answer #2: Clovis Point

Photo courtesy of Andrew Waits.

Answer #3: Seatac International Airport 

Photo courtesy of Jelson25 from Wikimedia Commons 

 Posted by: Andrea Godinez, Communications





Natural History Riddles

It’s Friday and I thought it’d be a great day for a “Fun Feature” blog.  So get ready to test your Washington State natural history knowledge with another round of…

How to play: Read the three riddles below and see if you can guess which Washington State person, place, or living thing we are referring to in the riddle. Post your guesses in the comments and check back on Monday to see the answers!

Update: Scroll down to see the answers.
 

Riddle #1:
I am named for my chubby look and loose skin
I never bite, but can “strike” with my blunt tail
Unlike many of my other slithery relatives, I prefer to go out at night.

Who am I?

Riddle #2:
Glaciers carved and feed this natural beauty
The deepest fresh water in the state
“The way through” the Northern Cascades

Where am I?

Riddle #3:
I feast on moose to mice with my family members
A true leader of the pack

Who am I?


Answers Below:

Answer #1:  Rubber Boa

Photo courtesy of Brad Moon

Answer #2:  Lake Chelan

Image: Public Domain/Bareck

Answer #3:  Gray Wolf
 

Lonnie, Male Gray Wolf. Photo courtesy of Julie Lawrence Studios/Wolf Haven International

Since we're on the subject of wolves, the Burke Museum's newest exhibit, Wolves and Wild Lands in the 21st Century, is open through Sept. 5.  Come to the museum before August 7 and see The Owl and the Woodpecker exhibit too!

Natural History Riddles

It’s time again to flex your natural history knowledge with another round of…

Just like the other rounds, any Washington State person, place or living thing is fair game. Keep an eye on the Burke Blog for the answers soon!
Update: Scroll down to see the answers.

Riddle #1:
Bending wood and carving new paths,
Lending a hand to carpenters and shipwrights,
Used by peoples near and far

What am I?


Riddle #2:
We drink our food;
Flying backwards is a unique trait;
With the exception of one species, we fly south for the winter

What am I?


Riddle #3:
Don’t be fooled by my rocky exterior;
Beautiful surprises are inside

What am I?


Posted By: Andrea Barber, Communications

Answers BelowAnswer #1: Adze

Answer #2: Rufous Hummingbird

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Answer #3: Geode

An Amethyst Geode from the Burke's Geology collection

Natural History Riddles

It's time for another round of:

How to play: Read the three riddles below and see if you can guess which Washington State person, place, or living thing we are referring to in the riddle. Post your guesses in the comments and check back Friday to see if you were right!
Update: Scroll down to see the answers!

Riddle #1:

If water enters into your boat

Helps paddlers of the Puget Sound

Stay afloat

What am I?

Riddle #2:

A ”stately” fossil

Large molars helped grind grass

During the iciest of ages

Who am I?

Riddle #3:

Drumming away for mates and food

An acrobatic feathered friend

The smallest one in Washington

Who am I?

ANSWERS BELOW

Answer #1: Canoe bailer

Canoe bailer (Tulalip), Burke ethnology collection, #1-10709

Answer #2: Columbian Mammoth

Columbian Mammoth tusk, discovered near Ridgefield, WA

Answer #3: Downy Woodpecker


Photo courtesy Seattle Audubon

Posted by: Andrea Barber

Natural History Riddles

Not all sequels are bad, especially when it comes to a Burke Blog series!  So if you enjoyed last month’s Natural History Riddles, then this month’s set will hopefully live up to the original. 

 (Part deux)

Just like the first round, any Washington State person, place or living thing is fair game.  Keep an eye on the Burke Blog for the answers soon!  Update:  The answers have been posted below.

Riddle #1:

I grow in wet areas

An animal shares my name

A plant with a tall stalk

What am I?

Answer: horsetail

 

Riddle #2:

Beautiful sunrises adorn my actively calm slopes
Glaciers and wildflowers thrive

A paradise for naturalists and adventurists alike

Where am I?

Answer: Mt. Rainier National Park

Riddle #3:

Lodging with my family

Incising for food and for home

Calm waters are what I prefer

Who am I?

Answer: Beaver

Posted By: Andrea Barber

Photo credits: Horsetail - Ben Legler, Mt. Rainier National Park  - Getty/Rene Frederick, Beaver  - National Geographic

Introducing... Natural History Riddles!

We here at the Burke obviously love natural history, but did you know we also love puzzles?  When these two passions combine the result is a new monthly Burke Blog feature…

Any Washington State person, place or living thing is fair game.  So test out your braininess and try to solve these riddles by posting a comment to our blog.  Update: Scroll down to see the answers!

Riddle #1:

Royalty in the skies,

Ruling the waters below,

Washington fish bow to my command.

Who am I?

Riddle #2

Tendrils of moss cascade from majestic trees;

A temperate temperament for inquisitive explorers,

A home to a plethora of life

Where am I?

Riddle #3:

Gliding from tree to tree

Stretching with all my might

An aerodynamic body indeed

To glide from tree to tree

Who am I?


ANSWERS BELOW

Answer #1: Belted Kingfisher (photo courtesy of Seattle Audobon Society)

Answer #2: The Hoh Rainforest

Answer # 3: Northern Flying Squirrel

Posted by: Andrea Barber