Bird coronet (dergach): description, photo

Among the numerous bird kingdom there is a very interesting species, the representatives of which differ in their dislike for flying. This is very surprising, because the birds are created for the sky. Nature has awarded them with wings, but this bird does not practically rise into the air. The name of the bird is the corncrake (see photo below), it is also called the dergator.

In the evenings from the meadows, unusual, crackling sounds are heard, something that reminds me of the croaking of frogs. Such a crack is produced by the dervishes, because of fearfulness they are difficult to see, but to hear easily. About how the corncrake looks, where it lives, how it survives in the wild, this article will be discussed.

Description

The size of the corncrake, the photo of which you already had time to see, resembles a small, just-fledged chicken weighing 125-155 g. Only the old obese Dergachi gain weight more. The body of the bird visually seems flattened from the sides, the tail is rather short, the length of the wing is 14-16 cm, the beak is short (2-2.2 cm), wide at the base.

Above, the color of the feathers is mottled, reddish-brown. The center of the pen is blackish, the end is grayish. Boka and abdomen ohristo-white, with reddish stripes. Chest, craw and neck of gray color. The iris is red-brown or nut brown. In a word, the bird is corncracked, it's the same dergich, looks modestly and does not stand out as bright as the plumage.

Areal

Nestle dregs in the territory of Eurasia, from France and Britain in the west to South Yakutia in the east, from the northern taiga to semideserts. The area of these birds is captured by the Caucasian foothills. For wintering, the corncrake bird travels to the warm regions of South-East Africa.

Settling dergaches prefer in the dry and floodplain meadows, among perennial grasses, in uncultivated overgrown gardens, on forest felling, in semi-dry patches of bogs. Also suitable for birds to dwellings are vegetable gardens and grain fields. They love to have water alongside, but they do not tolerate excessive humidity in their territories.

Korostel: sounds, screams

Talking about the bird corncrake, it is worth noting that its Old Russian name "dergach" came from a yanking, abrupt scream of the feathered data. Sounds of birds are corncracked in the open area can be heard even for a kilometer. Especially in this loud "singing" males differ, females behave more modestly.

Korostel, whose sounds are heard usually at night, in the twilight or at dawn, is especially different during the mating season. With his loud, as if twitching cry "gik-gik, gik-gik, gik-gik ..." male tries to attract the attention of females and at the same time challenges competitors.

During his marriage "songs" korostel is so excited that he will not hear if you approach him even too close. It is necessary only to walk during the "song verses", when the bird screams. In such moments she simply deafens herself with her own sounds. During the shouting, the jerk pulls forward the neck, turning at the same time in different directions.

If the bird is frightened or if it senses danger, an unusually strong and sharp cry will emanate from her throat, like the crying of the magpies. Also, the corncrake can surprise us with another sound, a repetitive "I". It is precisely with its unusual hymns that the corncrake is different from other birds, the description of its cries and sounds is a confirmation of this.

Lifestyle

The dergach (bird) prefers to choose wet meadows with high grass. Most often these birds can be found on the fields sown with cereals.

Korostel refers to the nocturnal loners. If weather conditions allow, shrewd, tireless birds all night lead an active lifestyle and only early in the morning, with the sunrise, go to rest.

It is very difficult to see the dermatologist in the grass, it rises to the air only when absolutely necessary. So this bird is easier to hear than to consider. Running feathery, bending forward part of the body and head to the ground so that the tail was higher. While moving, the bird nods all the time to look around, it sometimes straightens and stretches its neck for the entire length. When such a short-term inspection takes place, the derrick issues a special cry, as if to encourage himself and convince himself that there is no danger.

If the danger can not be avoided, the bird coronet first tries to escape. The runner from this bird is unsurpassed, his narrow body facilitates rapid movement in high dense grass. When you can not escape, the bird has to fly. She does it somewhat awkwardly and slowly. In flight, her legs are lowered down, this action lasts only a short time, after a few meters the dermatologist sits down in the grass and continues to escape more comfortable for himself by ground-based methods.

Reproduction

Male dergacha can be called a skillful boyfriend and experienced ladies' man. Although it will be fair to notice that while he cares for one female, he does not spend on other time. From the above it becomes clear that the corncobs are consistently polygamous.

The marriage period runs from April to July. As already mentioned earlier, during bird weddings males become very loud. In addition to "songs", they also danced the hearts of women by dancing. When a female enters the field of view of a male, he begins to perform a wedding dance, during which red spots on the wings look profitable. But this is not the limit of the efforts of the "gentleman", he in the heat of passion can even give his feathery ladies "nice" gifts in the form of snails and worms. If the male does not reach such generosity, the female herself can demand a treat from him.

For one season the male can mate with 2-3 females, on the average for one boy there are two girls. His job is not to build a nest, hatch eggs and care for the offspring. As soon as the female begins to lay eggs, the male leaves in search of another woman.

The future feathered mother arranges her nest among small shrubs or among dense grass. First she digs a shallow hole, then lays the bottom with moss, stalk of sedge and cereals. In one masonry there are from 7 to 12 eggs. Nasizhivaet their female on their own, without the help of a negligent dad.

Cultivation of offspring

The dug-out (bird) sits on eggs for three weeks, then the chicks appear from them. They are covered with a brown-black fuzz. Absolutely helpless babies can not be named, because almost immediately after the fluff has dried, the nestlings boldly leave the nest and accompany their mother.

The first 3-4 days of life the bird corncrake feeds its young from the beak. When the kids turn 2 weeks old, they become completely independent, they can get their own food. At the age of one month, young birds begin to make their first flights and leave the care of their mother.

Female dergach living in Western Europe, during the summer can make two egg laying and withdraw two broods of chicks, while feathered residents of eastern territories because of more severe climatic conditions, the second clutch is very rarely done.

Ration

Bird corncrake does not belong to vegetarians, it eats with pleasure both plant food and food of animal origin. Considering the fact that the derguchi prefers to live in fertile areas, he does not have problems with the extraction of food. For example, having settled near the bread field, the bird will always be satisfied with grain and insects.

In the cornmeal diet includes seeds, young shoots of plants. The menu is complemented by small insects, centipedes, small snails, earthworms.

Population

Korostel is a very secretive and cautious bird that hides from human eyes. Therefore, it is very difficult to determine the number of populations of dergach. One can only assume that due to the increase in the number of environmentally friendly farms, it is impossible to attribute to disappearing species of these birds.

It is, of course, worth noting that in comparison with previous years, the number of corncrews is decreasing. Wet meadows slowly but surely disappear from the landscape, as a result, the population of the ducks, which mostly live in such territories, is decreasing.