The content of the article
In Latin, the species of birdgrass is called Limicola falcinellus.
Description
In size, these birds are slightly smaller than starling. Their body is about 15 cm in length, and their wingspan is about 31 cm. Representatives of this species in their physique are typical sandboxes. But they differ from the rest in that there are stripes on the crown of the head. The beak is quite long and massive. And its top is slightly flattened and bent down.
In spring and summer, adults look dark on top. Below they look like white. This bird has this appearance because the wings on the outside in the middle are painted brownish. Along the edge, they have a light border. The throat, front of the neck, part of the sides are covered with spots and streaks of dark color. Over time, the border on the wings becomes darker, as it wears out.
It is very difficult to distinguish a male from a female. The color of representatives of different sexes is the same. The only difference is that the females are slightly larger in size. The legs of these birds can be yellow, brown or gray. The beak is black, has a slightly olive hue. The base is brown. In young individuals, the coloration is somewhat paler in early autumn. The light plots in the plumage are still fresh and not frayed. There are streaks on the neck as well as on the sides, but they are blurry. In the fall, some individuals begin to form a winter outfit, but completely molt ends only in winter.
In its winter plumage, the rodent is painted gray on top and white on the bottom. White eyebrow remains. The chicks that have not yet had time to cover themselves with feathers are dark brown in the upper part. The body is covered with large black spots and white spots. The plumage has a dirty white color below.
In Europe, only birds belonging to the nominative subspecies can be seen.
Spread
You can see the bird in the southern regions of the tundra and in the north of the taiga. It usually settles in the swamps. When flying, makes stops on meadows and coasts.
Behavior
Mudguard usually leads a secretive lifestyle. During the flight he obtains food for himself alone. Sometimes it can form a flock with other members of the family. In habitats, it is very difficult to see. They walk in shallow water in rivers, lakes or bays, looking for food in the mud with their beak.
Mudguards spend time mainly in thickets of plants growing near marshes, on a muddy beach.
Often combined in flocks with related species.
During the nesting season, the rodent is very secretive. He hides in the swamps in the thickets of sedge. You can notice a bird during mating. The bird obtains food by probing the soil or collecting it in the water. When the frogman searches for food, it moves slowly. Running from place to place only occasionally.
Breeding
In nesting places, these birds usually live in colonies. Each of them contains about 20 pairs of birds. They prefer to build nests on a dry piece of swamp. They choose a place in tall grass, as well as in dense shrubs. The nest is lined with birch and willow leaves.
Eggs are laid closer to July. In one masonry there are usually about 4 pieces. They are light brown in color with reddish dots. Parents take turns incubating. After 3 weeks, chicks appear.
The abundance of this species in nature is not precisely determined. According to some reports, about 2,000 individuals live in Finland. In the Murmansk region there are several hundred individuals.
If the bird notices danger near the nest, it begins to make distracting movements and squeak. It feeds on insects, worms.Sometimes it eats crustaceans and mollusks. Maybe there are seeds of some algae and plants growing near water.
Migrations
Security
The rodent bird has been protected by law since 1984. It is a rare species. In some regions of Russia are listed in the Red Book.
Vote
The sound of a marsh is quite characteristic. Sometimes his scream is like the sounds of a dunlin. But the rogue makes a more buzzing sound. Most often you can hear "crr." The trills consist of repetitions of the sound “dzhir”.
Submit