Water shepherd - description, habitat, interesting facts

Representatives of the discussed family are also called water shepherds due to the fact that individuals almost always live in marshy areas and near water sources. These birds are protected by laws of many countries due to the fact that in some regions their population is approaching zero. Today we will study everything that affects the shepherds, so that you can make your own opinion about these birds. Let's not drag out, let's get started right away.

Description

1. Under the shepherd is understood a bird belonging to the order crane-like. She leads a nocturnal lifestyle, and also prefers not to be shown to a person in the eye. As for dimensional characteristics, they range from 20-25 cm, but individuals are found in nature much smaller than the stated sizes. By weight, birds grow to 0.2 kg.
2. As for the general features of the physique, the bird looks rather dense and weighty. But this is a mistake, because such an effect is due to the dense plumage. The housing is compressed from the side parts. The head is small in size, the neck is elongated. The beak is long and straight, sharpened at the edge.
3. The tail in the form of a wedge rises up. It is medium in length and heterogeneous. The legs are not too long, and the fingers are quite thin and elongated. On the legs, 4 fingers, one of which is directed back. Paws are clawed and strong.
4. By plumage, as mentioned earlier, the birds are dense and fluffy. In the zone of wings, back and tail, feathers are olive with brownish tint. There are oblong mottles. The chest with the neck and front of the head is painted gray with a blue undertone. The lateral sections of the body have stripes in black and white.
5. The tail in the inside is white, the legs and beak are pigmented in red. The males are large, the females are slightly smaller. But in general, birds have no other differences.

Food

1. The birds of this species most often make up a diet of food of animal origin. They eat spiders, bugs, frogs, small fish, worms, mollusks, insects of various kinds. But they can diversify the menu with food of plant origin, for example, include the seeds of aquatic vegetation in the diet.
2. By their natural features, these birds can be classified as predators. They do not mind eating carrion or raising a nest with eggs belonging to birds of another family. Almost all food is found on the ground or pulled out of the aquatic environment.

Breeding

1. Individuals are classified as monogamous birds. They find a soul mate for life, after which they are engaged in procreation, raising offspring and building homes for babies. However, these data are inherent in all representatives of the squad.
2. As for the breeding period, it can occur at different times. This directly depends on the region in which the discussed individuals live and constantly live.
3. When mating begins, the shepherds exhibit unprecedented aggression. They carefully monitor the territory and make sure that other birds do not climb onto it.
4. They prefer to build a home for future offspring on the surface of the water or above the source. All parents are building nests. The reed stalks, dry foliage, cattail, reed, as well as horsetail or sedge are the basis.
5. According to external data, the finished dwelling is somewhat reminiscent of a bowl, which in diameter reaches about 15 cm, and in height varies between 15–20 cm. Birds try to carefully mask the nest so that predators do not catch their eyes on eggs and chicks.In most cases, the male is engaged in the construction of a nest for himself in order to rest there in the future.
6. At one time, the female can bring up to 15 eggs. It is worth noting that adults can breed two generations per season. Both parents are engaged in siting for 20 days. As a result, young animals are born already in dense fluff. In this case, the paws and beak are predominantly pink.
7. Literally a day later, the chicks already leave the house, and for some time follow their parents. Adult feeding is done by adults. Parents immediately bring food into the open mouth of the chicks. Literally in a week, young growth tries to peck out food from the earth independently. A week later, the chicks are already becoming independent.

Habitat

1. The considered individuals have a fairly wide habitat. You can meet such birds in North America and Eurasia without any problems. Separately, it is worth noting that birds practically do not occur in the northern cold regions.
2. The largest numbers of individuals represented are in the Middle East and Asia. As for the territory of the Russian Federation, birds are mainly found on Lake Ladoga, the Karelian Isthmus, in the Chelyabinsk and Kirov regions, and Bashkiria.
3. Among other things, such birds can be found in Eastern Siberia, Transbaikalia and Sakhalin. The considered individuals prefer a temperate climate. Even if the air temperature drops below 0, the birds are in no hurry to leave their native expanses. Shepherds migrate to warmer climes only because of a lack of food at home.

Lifestyle

1. Birds try to lead a calm and rather secretive lifestyle. The problem is that individuals are small in size, because of this they simply are not able to withstand predators.
2. Feathers can be noticed only by the characteristic singing, which can be heard nearby.
3. In the daytime, the presented individuals often hide in thick and tall grass. If nothing threatens them, they can safely walk in the open.

It is typical for the birds in question to lead an evening lifestyle. Individuals become as active as possible at dusk. Often the birds move at a rapid pace. Only in case of danger, they take off a meter to the side.

Video: water shepherd (Rallus aquaticus)