Schur - description, habitat, interesting facts

The birds of the represented family are distinguished by their external data and interesting behavior. The individuals sing very beautifully, which is why they attract attention to their persons. You can listen to the wonderful voice of these kids not only in the tropical zones, but also in the northern latitude. We will study all aspects in the next order.

Description

1. The common squint is a bird, otherwise called the Finnish parrot or rooster. Of the entire family of finch and detachment of passerines, these individuals are considered the most colorful. The bird is slightly larger in size than hemp, greenfinch, siskin and other representatives of this kind.
2. There are distinctive features in birds, these signs vary among themselves depending on gender. As a rule, males are painted much brighter than females. Female individuals are dull and unremarkable. Male representatives of the family are saturated and bright, they have a greater number of feathers pigmented in red and pink. Females are gray-yellow, motley.
3. Males scattered feathers throughout the body, alternating between pinkish-red and gray. There are black shades on the tail, the same can be said about the tips of the wings. The trunk in the lower part is mainly gray or yellowish-beige.
4. In males, the chest with head and neck is mottled in gray and red. The beak is twisted in its format, like in predator birds. The body is dense, knocked down, massive, rounded. In females, the head is mainly gray, the brisket and neck are yellowish. Feathers alternate with gray and beige.
5. In their way of life, these birds are very hidden, sing beautifully and do not like to be near people. For existence, they choose places away from humans in order to live quietly, engage in the cultivation of offspring and their development.
6. Birds love to sing, but they do it exclusively by individuals of male gender. These individuals are especially audible when the mating season begins. But even at other times of the year, the birds do not fall silent. The song clearly hears friction and whistle, the nature of the compositions is sad, although the birds are funny and active.

Habitat

1. The presented species of birds is quite common. Individuals live in coniferous and mixed forests. They are found in Asian and European countries, as well as in North America, Finland, and Russia.
2. By their natural characteristics, these birds like to settle in the crown of a tree. They are found in the mountains, where juniper, cedar elfin and other species grow.
3. Like other birds from the sparrow squad, these individuals like to be in the wild forest, where a person rarely appears or does not appear at all. It was found that these individuals live not only in the steppe zone, but also near woody vegetation.

Food

1. Like other individuals from the family finch, the presented species of birds belongs to the healers of the forest. Pike are pulled from the trunk of pests, as well as seeds of bad plants.
2. The basis of the diet is food of plant origin, but the birds do not mind eating worms or bugs. Individuals eat seeds of vegetation and trees.
3. In spring, they go in search of buds, shoots, foliage, and in the fall they switch to feeding on spruce plants. They eat nuts, berry seeds and the fruits themselves.
4. They can consume crops and grass seeds. Insects are not included in the basic diet, but act only as a supplement. Adults feed bugs of their chicks, while they themselves rarely feast.

Breeding

1. The mating season in the birds under consideration begins in late spring.Only in rare cases, such bird behavior can be seen in March. During mating games, the male tries to constantly fly around the female. He also performs beautiful trills. This tune can be compared to playing the flute.
2. After mating has occurred between adult individuals, the female proceeds to the construction of the nest. Such a procedure often begins in late spring or early summer. At the same time, the male does not take any part at this time. The female builds a nest at a low height, mainly away from the trunk.
3. It is worth noting that the dwelling has a cup shape. In this case, the size of the nest is really amazing. As a building material, grass and twigs are used. The litter is made of moss, wool and feathers. Often, the female brings no more than 6 eggs, while they have a bluish tint with dark spots.
4. As it was mentioned earlier, solely the female is engaged in the siting of future offspring. After a little more than two weeks, the chicks are already beginning to be born. At this time, the male provides the other half with food. He also then feeds the chicks. The female does not leave home and protects the young.
5. As soon as the chicks are born, they already have gray fluff on their bodies. At the same time, they immediately begin to demand food. After birth, after another 3 weeks, the offspring is already trying to become winged. At this time, they learn to fly. As soon as young animals are more than 1.5 months old, they begin to lead a completely independent lifestyle.

Interesting Facts

1. The people of the considered individuals are often called the “Finnish rooster” or the “Finnish parrot”. The birds got such a nickname due to the bright color.
2. These birds really like water, so they can swim in open water even in winter. As for home maintenance, individuals should provide a place for swimming.
3. As mentioned earlier, the females of this species fully assume the construction of the nest. However, they do not allow the male to take part. Females are also involved in raising offspring.

Schur is widely distributed, a decent number of birds are concentrated in European countries. Otherwise, fluffy lumps are called Finnish parrots, because they repeat different sounds and look very colorful.

Video: Schur (Pinicola enucleator)