A free wildlife quiz with thousands of questions and answers
The Barn Owl Live quiz is a free online wildlife and nature quiz, hosted by Buster, the barn owl you can watch on our live nest box cameras in the Peak District. There are thousands of questions to try, from UK wildlife and barn owls to general knowledge and true or false trivia, and every answer comes with a fact to learn.
There's no sign up and nothing to pay. Just type a name, choose a category and start playing. It works on phones, tablets and computers.
Quiz categories
- đŋ Wildlife: over 1,000 questions on UK mammals and birds, insects and butterflies, trees, wild flowers and fungi, coasts and seas, rivers and ponds, the seasons and migration, and amazing animals from around the world.
- đĻ Barn Owls: hundreds of questions about barn owls, from their silent flight and heart shaped faces to what they eat and how they raise their owlets.
- đŗ Tawny Owls: test what you know about Britain's most common owl.
- â General Knowledge: a British focused general knowledge quiz covering history, geography, science, books, music, sport and food.
- đ¯ Trivia: quick true or false questions.
- And more: animals, quizzes for kids, brain teasers and many other categories.
How to play
In the default game you start with five lives, shown as little owls. Each correct answer scores 3 points, and each wrong answer costs a life. After every ten questions there's a bonus question worth extra points or lives, and question 50 is a final double or nothing question. Along the way, look out for wildcard questions, hunting streak bonuses and Buster's life shop, where you can trade points for an extra life. Prefer something shorter? Choose a 10 or 20 question game instead.
Your best score goes on the global leaderboard, so use the same name each time to keep climbing.
Tips for a high score
Want to climb the leaderboard? Here are Buster's top tips for the default game:
- Buy lives early. Buster's life shop charges between 30% and 60% of your points, so a life costs far less when your score is low. A spare life or two early on gives you the best chance of reaching the big bonus questions.
- The big points come later. The bonus questions after 10, 20, 30 and 40 questions are worth 100 points between them, plus two extra lives. Then the final question doubles your whole score.
- If Buster's feeling greedy, wait. He names a new price after every question, so answer another and ask again.
- Save your 50/50 for a bonus question, where a wrong answer costs the most.
- Wildcard questions can't cost you a life, so they're worth a go if you're feeling confident.
- Keep your hunting streak going. Every 5 correct answers in a row earns a growing bonus: +5, then +10, then +15 and more.
Sample wildlife quiz questions and answers
Here are a few questions from the quiz. Click a question to see the answer.
What is the UK's smallest bird?
The goldcrest. It weighs about 5 to 6 grams, roughly the same as a 20p coin.
Which bird is the fastest animal on Earth when diving?
The peregrine falcon. In a dive it can reach over 300km/h (about 200mph).
What is a baby hedgehog called?
A hoglet. A mother hedgehog usually has four or five of them.
Which two deer are the UK's only native species?
Red deer and roe deer. The other deer in Britain were introduced by people.
Why can barn owls fly almost silently?
Their soft, comb edged feathers break up the sound of air rushing over their wings, so their prey can't hear them coming.
What do barn owls mainly eat?
Field voles, along with shrews and mice. When voles are scarce, they adapt and catch other prey.
Do polar bears live at the North Pole or the South Pole?
The North Pole. Polar bears live in the Arctic, while penguins live in the southern half of the world, so they never meet in the wild.
What is the highest mountain in the UK?
Ben Nevis, at 1,345 metres.
Who is the quiz for?
Anyone who loves nature. Families play it together at home, teachers use it as a fun classroom starter about animals and habitats, and it's a gentle, chatty activity for care homes and groups. Wildlife fans can use it to brush up their knowledge before a walk, and it's a great warm up for quiz night.
While you play, why not keep Buster company on our live barn owl nest camera?
Questions people ask
Is the wildlife quiz free?
Yes. It's completely free, with no sign up. Just pick a name and play.
How many questions are there?
There are thousands of questions across all the categories, including over 1,000 wildlife questions and hundreds about barn owls.
Is the quiz suitable for children?
Yes. The Wildlife, Barn Owls and For Kids categories are family friendly and teach real facts about animals and nature.
Can I use the quiz in school?
Yes. Many of the questions fit nicely with primary science topics like habitats, food chains, life cycles and adaptation, and every answer comes with a fact to discuss.
How do I get a high score?
Buy a life or two early, while Buster's prices are low, so you can reach the bonus questions after 10, 20, 30 and 40 questions. They're worth 100 points between them, and the final question doubles your score.
How does the leaderboard work?
Your highest score is saved under your player name. Use the same name each time to keep building on your best.
What if I spot a mistake in a question?
After answering, click "Spotted an error?" to let us know, and we'll check it.
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