Birds are highly organized vertebrates. Individuals are quite common throughout the planet. This is due to their ability to make long flights or adapt to the conditions of a particular area. Most are common in the forest belt. By the number of species, this class is considered the most numerous of terrestrial vertebrates.
Distinctive features of animals
Birds have their own characteristics. These animals belong to the class of feathered, ovipositing. Their forelimbs are arranged in the form of wings. The body structure is adapted for flight, however, at present, there are quite a few types of flightless individuals. Another feature of birds is the presence of a beak. Its structure may indicate the type of food that the animal predominantly feeds on.
Short description of some types
Birds are ubiquitous. Some of them are distributed mainly in settlements, while others make seasonal flights at various distances. Sedentary birds include individuals living year-round in one place. They do not make long-distance migrations. As a rule, animals are adapted to live around humans. Many of them need feeding in the winter. Grains or food waste is the main food that settled birds eat. Nomadic birds - individuals moving from one locality to another. Flights are carried out, as a rule, in search of food.
Sedentary birds. Examples of species inhabiting predominantly forests
Animals leading such a lifestyle are distinguished by cunning, caution. They are able to warn each other of danger. Many of them live in packs. One of the fairly common species are woodpeckers. These sedentary birds feed on the seeds of conifers, capable of processing several thousand cones per season. Woodpeckers are able to quickly and easily climb tree trunks, taking out larvae and insects. Very common animals in the Yaroslavl region. About eight of their species live there. Nuthatch - sedentary birds inhabiting mixed forests, parks. You can meet them and not far from a person’s housing. These animals are characterized by stockiness. Food for them is mainly acorns, seeds of conifers and linden, pine nuts, berries of bird cherry. Nuthatch stocks their own food in the fall.
Individuals that can be found in human housing
Jay inhabits coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests. These sedentary birds are omnivores. In the fall, the jay, like the nuthatch, stores its own food - it hides acorns in the ground and in the cracks of the trees. Inhabited mainly in the central zone of Russia, during particularly severe winters, the jay is selected closer to the human housing. These birds attract attention with their rather bright colors, noisy and very mobile behavior. In winter, they live alone. Tits are common in various types of forests. Also, they can often be found in settlements. In winter, up to 90% of individuals die. Tit needs feeding in the cold season. Suitable for this are sunflower seeds, bread crumbs, hemp.
But most of all tits love unsalted lard. A fairly numerous species is considered a jackdaw. These birds are quite common in the central zone of Russia. Individuals live in packs, in wintertime they unite with ravens and spend the night with them, clinging to each other. Jackdaws are omnivorous. Inhabiting the suburbs, they pick up food waste, thus fulfilling the role of orderlies.
Large forest dwellers
Some settled birds, whose names are well known, try not to get close to human habitation. Capercaillie is considered one of the largest species. They live mainly in the forest belt. They can be found in places where there is - at least occasionally - pine and there are many berry bushes. For almost the entire year, wood grouse lead a terrestrial tree lifestyle. The capercaillie feeds mainly on plant foods. During the winter, stiff and prickly needles and pine buds serve him as food. In almost all areas of the central strip of Russia you can find black grouse. These sedentary birds can join in flocks or live alone. Males, as a rule, live on the tops of small trees. In winter, the main animal feed is catkins and buds of birch. In the cold season, they usually come together in schools, spend the night right in the snow. In a blizzard or blizzard do not leave the shelter.
The most common settled birds. Names. Description
One of the most adapted to life species is magpie. These sedentary birds are common both in the forest belt and in settlements. In winter, magpies live as close to human habitation as possible. They visit garbage containers, landfills, other places where they look for food waste. Sparrows are very adapted to living near human habitation, farm buildings. Birds have a small size, short beak. They feed mainly on grain. Their nests can be seen in wall cracks, hollows, birdhouses. Sometimes birds can breed three times during the summer. Sparrows are widespread throughout Russia.
Crows are found in settlements, most often in cities. These birds are easy enough to tame. Crows are omnivorous: they destroy rodents, pick up fallen fruits and seeds of plants. Nests are built from twigs. In cold weather, birds are selected as close as possible to human habitation, are combined in flocks. In winter, food waste is their food. The well-known species - the pigeon - is common in settlements. These animals have a unique ability to navigate in unfamiliar terrain, find their way home, and travel a fairly large distance. Pigeons can be trained and very quickly get used to their place of residence.
Seasonal changes in life
From the end of winter to the beginning of spring, settled birds begin to prepare for breeding. They pay great attention to marriage games, spend time on forming pairs. During this period, they significantly lose weight. Wintering birds are prepared at this time for the flight to nesting sites. In this regard, they begin to eat intensely. From spring to the first days of summer, birds spend time building nests, incubating eggs, feeding offspring, and protecting nests. Since more attention is paid to the nutrition of the chicks, the parents noticeably lose weight. From mid-summer to autumn, an enhanced replenishment of energy resources begins. Migrating individuals at the same time accumulate strength to make a flight. Animals feed intensively during this period, gaining mass. From autumn to winter, the energy accumulated in the last season is spent on maintaining the optimal body temperature. At this time, the birds also eat intensely and spend almost all days in search of food.
Migratory Species
The above describes which birds are sedentary. Now we will talk about some species that migrate. In the central strip of the country in groves, parks and squares there is a siskin. Sometimes he can lead a sedentary lifestyle. Heed grass, seeds of pine, spruce, birch, alder serve as forage for it. Together with titmouse and sparrows, Siskins fly to the feeders in cold weather. Another fairly frequent guests are bullfinches. They are considered northern birds. In winter, individuals migrate towards the southern regions. Often you can find birds in the settlements. The food for them is the seeds of lilac, ash, maple. But most of all bullfinches love mountain ash.
One of the rare species listed in the Red Book of the Yaroslavl region is tap dance. It occurs most often during winter migrations. Birds come together in small flocks. You can meet the mentioned birds in the shrubbery, light forest. Sometimes they live in settlements. The tapeworm feeds on whole seeds of
alder cones, buds of
birch, seeds of sedges, heather and spruce. A waxwing lives in the northern regions. This bird species begins migration in August, wandering to the southern regions. In winter, their food is hawthorn berries, viburnum, mountain ash. Individuals unite in flocks, flying on berry bushes. Quickly pecking the fruits, fly to other trees.