Vahir - description, habitat, interesting facts

There are no people who do not meet pigeons near the house or in the central square of the city. This feathered tribe has become an integral part of the animal world of our country. There are also many pigeons in Europe and other countries. Today we are considering a representative of the family, which is called nothing more than a vahir. By it is meant a forest pigeon belonging to a group of pigeons. Wild birds are not as close to humans as city guests. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, it’s better to study everything in order of priority.

Description

1. By wyahir we mean a forest pigeon that tries to stay away from people. Representatives of the pigeon family belong to the pigeon-like order. According to external data, birds practically do not differ from urban inhabitants, except that their color is not so bright. These birds are bluish-gray, which allows them to easily camouflage themselves in the forest.
2. There are red feathers in the chest area, and a silver sheen is present on the greenish neck. When a bird stands under the direct sun, it advantageously shimmers. As for its weight category, the individual grows to 1 kg. A wild tribe is larger than its urban counterparts. Cases were recorded in which the bird grew to 1.5 kg.
3. Today we will affect not only the mass of the body, but also the length, which exceeds the figures of 35-40 cm. The wingspan of these birds is 80 cm. When the individual is in flight, the wings spread and the transverse feathers of a whitish hue can be seen on them.
4. Due to the fact that the wingspan of these birds is quite impressive, feathered creatures can develop a high-speed flight mode of up to 180 km / h. When seasonal migrations begin, pigeons have no problems with long flights. They can soar through the air for thousands of kilometers without feeling tired.
5. We continue the description. The eyes are round-shaped birds with black pupils. On the circumference of the pupils there is a rim of a reddish undertone. The beak is curved, strong, pigmented with a reddish color at the base. The tip is yellow. There is a silver sheen on the curved gray-green neck. A distinctive feature of forest pigeons is the presence of bright spots on both sides of the neck.
6. The head is the same in size as all the other representatives of the pigeon family. It is pigmented with an ashy shade. The tail is short, during flight it blooms, therefore a longitudinal white strip is visible. Legs are pinkish red, thin, short, clawed. Therefore, individuals keep perfectly on the branches.
7. As for the color of the plumage of the younger generation, the color is somewhat similar to the shade of adults. Kids are painted in a dirty gray tint. Only when they reach puberty do they become similar to adult members of the family. It is important to know that these birds belong to the largest forest pigeons, respectively, they live in the forest.

Habitat

1. These birds in their territorial distribution spread to different climatic regions. Today they are found in Ukraine, Russia, Scandinavia, the Baltic. In the summer, they prefer to live in the Crimea and the Caucasus.
2. Individuals are found in African countries, in its northwestern part. By the nature of their stay, the pigeon family leads a sedentary lifestyle. As a permanent habitat, deaf forests with deciduous or coniferous trees are chosen.
3. They feed on fields, because cereals, wheat sprouts and other grains of this kind are a source of food for pigeons. They avoid wetlands; only occasionally can they be on the outskirts of such water sources.As for the duration of existence, they live up to 16 years.

Lifestyle

1. These birds are careful and do not show themselves to the eyes. However, such habits are characteristic of all representatives of the group. They also avoid large predators, because, in fact, they cannot protect themselves. The main advantage of pigeons is the flight speed.
2. If suddenly a predator appears on the horizon, the bird will freeze and will not give itself away. But when they fly, the big wings make a lot of noise. Pigeons also have a negative attitude towards people, even if they feed them. Nest in forest strips away from humans.
3. However, exceptions have been recorded that state that birds can live close to people. In large cities, they are absent. Feel comfortable in the forest, where you can safely engage in offspring.

Enemies

1. In the considered individuals, enemies are often represented in the form of large predatory birds. Recently, the number of feathered predators has decreased significantly. The reason for this is human activity. For the same reason, the number of wild vyakhire has increased significantly.
2. Often in the wild, the individuals in question become victims of the wild marten. It is such predators that can climb trees without any problems. If the wyahir walk on the ground, then in this case they can be captured by badgers or foxes. The problem of pigeons is that they are large enough, so they are not able to immediately fly into the air.
3. It is worth noting the amazing fact that in some countries the number of vyahiri is so numerous that their people begin to purposefully destroy, since birds are considered pests. Each year in such regions the number of shot birds is really amazing.

Breeding

1. Throughout the year, the considered individuals are able to reproduce up to 3 generations of young animals. In most cases, the mating season in such birds begins in early April. It was at this time that individuals returned to their habitat after wintering. Birds begin to prepare for migration only in the fall.
2. The considered individuals reach sexual maturity at about 1 year. With the onset of the first mating season, couples begin to form. During this period, males sit on the crowns of trees and begin to coo loudly. Thus, they attract females.
3. It is with such a note that the day of the considered individuals begins. In the morning, wild pigeons begin to coo. As soon as the female draws attention to the male, he goes down to her and begins to coo already near her.
4. As a result of mating games, the female lays eggs. But before that, the formed couple begins to engage in the construction and arrangement of the nest. It is worth noting that the individuals under consideration approach such a case with all responsibility. Each branch for the construction of birds is carefully studied with its beak.
5. After the pigeon understands that the branch is suitable in all respects, he begins to build a nest. Despite all this, the birds quickly build their homes. The entire procedure takes a maximum of 3 days. Individuals create a frame of more durable twigs. Next, the birds weave a nest of flexible twigs.
6. As a result, the birds have a flat bottom. Also, the socket itself has holes. They appear between branches. It is worth noting that the birds locate their dwellings at a height of no more than 2 m. Often you can see that the more lazy vyahiri occupy the old nests of falcons, ravens or magpies.
7. It is worth noting the amazing fact that the individuals in question are the largest representatives in their family. It is because of this feature that the meat of such pigeons is very appreciated. Therefore, these birds are hunted not only by predators, but also by humans. A man is very interested in hunting pigeons.
8. In one clutch you can find no more than 2 eggs.They are quite small and have a white color. The female hatches eggs for about 17 days. Also, the male sometimes replaces the companion. After this, the young growth begins to hatch into the light. The first month the chicks feed on special secretions that are reproduced from the goiter of the parents.
9. After this, young growth gradually begins to taste the food that adults eat. The birds in question are very caring parents. All this time they feed the chicks and gradually learn to fly. After 1 month after masonry, the young growth becomes completely independent.

The surprising fact is that these individuals are very selective in choosing material for the construction of the nest. All poultry building materials are carefully examined. As for ordinary life, despite the large size, the birds are quite maneuverable in the air. They can perform truly amazing pirouettes.

Video: Whirlwind (Columba palumbus)