Dead End - description, habitat, interesting facts

The impasse belongs to the family of anthropoids, which live near the seas in the North Atlantic and Pacific. There they find food for themselves, diving into the water. Different types of dead ends have a common feature - this is their large beak, which has a bright color. In addition, representatives of this species of birds have small wings and black and white feathers. Puffins live mainly in large colonies, nesting on small islands of land and rocks near the seashore.

The appearance of the bird

The body of the dead end reaches a length of 35 centimeters, while the weight is approximately 0.5 kg. The wingspan is about half a meter. Most often, the male is larger than the female. Feathers are in the area of ​​the head, neck and back are black, grayish spots are placed on each side of the head. The bird's eyes are small, triangular in shape, with reddish or gray skin around them. Belly is white, limbs are orange.

The beak is flattened, rather large. During the mating season, it becomes brighter, serves to attract the attention of the female. The beak is red on the upper side, the base is grayish. With age, the size and color of the beak of a dead end changes: in chicks and young birds, it is narrower, and expands over time. Closer to old age, the beak is dotted with grooves in its red part.

In general, young puffins are similar in appearance and color to plumage in older adults, but the plumage on the head is darker and the cheek area is lighter. The limbs and beak are brown.

The nuances of feeding birds

The diet of a dead end mainly consists of fish, for example, gerbil, capelin, etc. In addition, the dead end can eat small clams. The hunting process takes place directly under the water, the bird swims, using its sweeping wings and membranes on its paws. Usually these birds are content with small prey, no larger than 5-6 centimeters in size, but sometimes they can catch larger fish. As usual, when a dead end caught the victim, he immediately eats it, not diving to the surface. A bird pops up only in those cases when it happened to attack large fish. When this bird dives, it can simultaneously catch from 2 fish and more. During the day, an adult bird eats about 40 small fish.

Dead End Habitat

In the north of the Atlantic, as well as the Arctic oceans, Atlantic representatives of this species of birds live, also in the north-west of Eurasia and the Arctic. One of the most numerous colony of dead ends is considered to be a colossal flock that includes more than 250 thousand representatives, which occupies the lands of the reserve in the north of America, and the largest colony lives in Iceland - about 55-65 percent of the total population of these birds.

Quite numerous flocks are found on about. Newfoundland, in Scotland, Norway and Greenland. Also, on about. Svalbard and Britain have small colonies. Mostly these birds choose islands not for coastal lands, but for islands.Before and after the nesting period, puffins often visit the surface of the Arctic Ocean, sometimes even falling beyond the Arctic Circle.

Common types of dead ends

The most common is the Atlantic impasse. In addition to it, there are two more closely related species: Pacific puffin, as well as a hatchet.

1. Pacific dead end. This bird has black and white feathers, its limbs are bright orange or reddish. Claws quite tenacious and sharp, paws decorated with membranes. Beak massive, small, thickens to the base. Males are larger in comparison with females, but there are no differences in color. It lives mainly on the North Pacific coast.
2. Hatchet. This is not a very large bird, the body length usually reaches 35-38 cm, and weight - not more than 0.8 kg. Plumage is painted monotonously, in dark brownish shades. Cheeks are white, the area behind the eyes is decorated with thin and long feathers of yellow color. The legs are red or orange. The beak is quite large, flat on the sides.

They invariably live on the Pacific coast, but in cold times they shift slightly to the south, reaching even the California and Japanese shores.

The difference between male and female

There are practically no gender differences between birds; in terms of plumage, it is almost impossible to distinguish between a male and a female. The only sign of difference is size: males are usually slightly larger.

Breeding process

In addition to the mating season, all the remaining time deadlock lives in the sea. Wintering of birds takes place alone or in small flocks, spending a lot of time on the surface of the water. It is noteworthy that a dead end can move its legs in order to stay afloat, even during sleep. The color of the plumage helps the bird take refuge in the sea.

In winter, representatives of this species of birds begin to molt, during which the feathering is completely lost, so the bird is unable to fly for a couple of months.

With the beginning of spring, puffins return to their colony, organizing colossal "bird markets" there. Before building nests, puffins in small flocks float in the coastal zone, starting construction, when the ground begins to gradually thaw.

These feathered monogamous. During the mating season, the male regularly sways slightly, approaching his beloved, and then they begin to rub with their beaks. The male treats the female to small fish, showing her that he can afford to feed her and the chicks.

When the couple is created, the future parents begin the construction or restoration of the nest, which is located in a small depression. A bird pits a hole using its beak and limbs. Nora looks like an arched tunnel, and such moves can be intertwined. Inside the land is lined with moss, shreds of grass and down.

The female produces only one egg of medium size, the weight of which reaches about 65 g. It is white in color, the surface is covered with small specks of lilac color. The male and female are engaged in hatching alternately for a month.

Curious facts

1. The name of the species of birds “Dead End” comes from the word “dumb”, which is associated with the peculiarity of the shape of the beak.
2. Not so long ago, the Atlantic representative of the birds was listed in the Red Book.
3. People often use the meat of these birds for cooking. However, deadlock hunting is officially banned.
4. A dead end is often depicted on stamps in various states.

Video: Dead End (Fratercula arctica)