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Caucasian ular is also called a mountain turkey. Not everyone knows this bird, because its habitat is very limited, and they prefer to settle in inaccessible places. There are not so many people who were lucky enough to see these birds. Outwardly, the Caucasian ular is a cross between a partridge and an ordinary domestic chicken. It belongs to the pheasant family, and is its largest representative.
Description
The plumage of the Caucasian ular is painted in several colors. The main color in their coloring is gray. There are small bright spots on the body. Such a coloring helps the mountain turkey to disguise itself so that it is difficult for predators to see it. Among the rocks, the bird becomes almost invisible. In total, these birds number about 400-700 thousand.
Usually, the Caucasian ular weighs less than 2.5 kg. His body is down, his legs are short and rather thick. The bird’s neck is short and its beak is small. Wings are short, tail length is more than average. This physique makes it easy for the bird to move through the mountains. The bird walks along the slopes, maintaining balance with the help of wings.
Habitat
Caucasian Ulars live and move around the area in groups of several individuals. They are most active in the morning. During these hours you can hear the bird singing beautifully and melodiously. If the ular feels that he is in danger, he immediately goes to the nearest cliff. From there, he plans to abyss. When the Ular flies, it makes a whistling sound.
Nutrition
This bird eats only plant foods. She moves along the slopes in search of leaves, buds, young stems or seeds. Food for it can be any of the 70 species of plants that grow in this area of the mountains. The main diet of mountain turkey is cereals, legumes, and cloves.
To grind food, the mountain turkey eats small stones. Scientists claim that in the stomach of these birds can be up to 20 g of small stones. They are not looking for water, since all the necessary fluid for them enters the body with food.
Breeding
Throughout the winter and during the first half of March, Caucasian Ulars live in packs. But with the onset of the mating season, each individual begins to live independently. Like most other birds, males of the Caucasian ular attract their chosen one with beautiful singing. Sometimes a fight can arise between two male rivals. During the mating season, the male usually loses much weight.
When the male realizes that he is the winner of this mating war, he cranes his neck and lifts his long tail. When fertilization has occurred, the weight of the male is rapidly starting to return to normal.
Mating occurs in the second half of March or in April, after which the nesting period begins. The female herself hatches eggs. Their number usually varies between 5-8 pieces. The male is not involved in this process. The chick that is born is growing rapidly. Already at the age of three months he has the size of an adult bird. And next year they themselves are bringing offspring.
Mountain turkey hunting
In addition, even experienced hunters find it difficult to catch a mountain turkey. When she screams, she interferes with hunting big game. When a mountain turkey feels danger, it begins to scream loudly and piercingly. In this way, the bird notifies the danger of the inhabitants of the mountains. Previously, the healing properties were attributed to the meat of these birds. Today, among some peoples, they are considered a delicacy that everyone wants to try.
Even among those people who constantly live in the Caucasus, there are few who saw this bird. She always behaves cautiously, and settles in places that are inaccessible to humans. Those who watched the bird saw it only from afar. She tries not to let people close to a person, because by her nature she is very cautious and feels danger in people. If you ever get to the Caucasus, and you meet a gray bird with spots, resembling a chicken, perhaps this is a mountain turkey.
Video: Caucasian Ular (Tetraogallus caucasicus)
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