Black-headed warbler - description, habitat, interesting facts

Under the black-headed glory is meant a small-sized bird, which practically does not differ in any way from the self-similar. Its characteristic is perhaps the gray shade of plumage and the presence of a kind of black hat on the head. There are individuals in African and Asian countries, inhabit squares and city parks. However, some craftsmen even keep these birds in their cages at home. But we will not run ahead, we will study everything in detail.

Description

1. Individuals of male gender are partially different from females and young animals. The grown males boast a darkened olive top, a gray, light bottom and a whitish neck. The upper part of the wings matches the back in tone.
2. On the head is a kind of black cap, it reaches the eye sockets. The irises are brownish, almost black. The beak is pigmented in gray, the legs are the same color.
3. Young males in the autumn season replace plumage, becoming similar to the grown individuals. In the area of ​​the cap they see feathers in black tone.
4. If we compare the young and the females, then in their color they partially coincide with the males. However, the lower part of the body is not grayish, but beige. Also a brown top. The area under the tail is white, the throat is the same.
5. A distinctive characteristic of the birds discussed above from males is a hat of a reddish hue. In its format, it is the same as that of males. Only the color is different.
6. The young growth is slightly dirty in color, the shade has not yet been fully formed, the birds need time and the onset of molting. The cap of young animals is brown with brown.
7. When in the autumn season, birds of two genders change their plumage, then they look olive, dark. The abdominal zone is yellowish in the center, and the back is dirty green.

Habitat

1. Represented individuals are more common in African, European and Asian countries. As for the nature of the stay, these birds are migratory. In the fall, before the frosts they gather in packs and go to the southern regions.
2. When the cold goes away, the little warriors arrive at the same place and begin to build houses for future offspring. This occurs in the middle or end of spring, which is quite late. However, during the summer period, birds give birth twice.
3. Then they go to wintering places, this happens around October. Waiting for the cold time on the Mediterranean coast. British celebrities do not leave their places, living there year-round.
4. In the winter, family members are found in park areas, gardens, squares. They also love to live in the forest, but are increasingly found next to human activities.
5. They prefer to build homes for posterity at a low height, about 1.5 meters from the ground. For this purpose, choose larch or coniferous stripes. Recently, nests built on shrubs are increasingly found.

Nutrition

1. These birds are quite picky in terms of drawing up a diet, try to feast on what is available in a particular area. Thanks to the thin beak, individuals prey on insects and gather berries.
2. The basis of the summer diet includes weevils, flies, caterpillars, leaf beetles and other inhabitants of deciduous trees. For hunting, birds choose dense thickets.
3. Representatives of the breed group are quite savvy. They live on the earth, touch and push the foliage in the hope of finding food under it. In autumn, the diet is supplemented with berries and fruit residues.

Lifestyle

1. Often, these representatives prefer to live in mixed and deciduous forests. Also, their habitat can serve as a place where tall shrubs and all kinds of edge vegetation are well developed. In most cases, these are gardens and parks.
2. Represented birds try to stay mostly under the forest canopy. They also live in the crowns of trees and bushes. The nest is a small cup. At which the bottom and walls are shone through. Often birds build homes near the ground.
3. Like most of this species, males during the mating season try to build several grounds for nests at once. Only after the pair is formed, adults are accepted to finish building one of the dwellings. At a time in a clutch there can be no more than 6 eggs.
4. Over the course of 2 weeks, both parents take turns taking care of the future offspring. Chicks are born completely naked, they do not have fluff. After that, adults also begin to feed young growth together. After only half a month, the chicks are already leaving the nest.
5. The basis of the diet of the individuals in question in most cases includes various insects. At the same time, at the end of summer and autumn, birds try to eat plant food more. Feathered people like to feast on soft berries.

Interesting Facts

1. An amazing phenomenon is that the males of this species are able to reproduce the sounds of other birds. For example, during the mating season, you can hear that such individuals reproduce similar trills, such as the black and song thrush, robin, nightingale. A close relative of the birds in question is a mockingbird.
2. A few decades ago, people often kept warblers at home. Thanks to beautiful and quiet twittering, one could calm down and enjoy the iridescent trill.
3. It is worth noting that warblers go to wintering places exclusively at night. They are guided by the position of the North Star.

The considered individuals are very interesting and beautiful. They sing beautifully. Outwardly, many types of warblers are very similar to each other. Moreover, singing in different individuals is very different. Such birds are monogamous. After pairing, they take care of the future offspring together.

Video: Black-headed Warbler (Sylvia atricapilla)