Do birds fly in the city at night. List of birds of prey: main characteristics of species. Not birds of prey

All owls of appearance, in general, similar, are immediately recognizable. Large eyes on a large head, as if underlined, enlarged by the plumage fan-shaped around them. This is the so-called "facial disk". Feet, and many have fingers, feathered to crooked claws. The front outer finger is “reversible”, it can, like an osprey, turn back, forming a paw configuration typical of climbing birds (parrots, cuckoos, woodpeckers). The cere is covered with hair-like feathers. There is a coccygeal gland. But there is no goiter. They hunt at night, but some other owls living in the Arctic (hawk, to a lesser extent eagle owls, marsh, cave owls, sparrow owl, fish owls and owls) also during the day.

Owl. Photo: Jean

Owls make up a very interesting group in terms of their adaptive features. Owls, like eagles, falcons and hawks, predator birds and have characteristics characteristic of predators: a curved beak with which they kill and tear apart prey, and strong paws armed with sharp curved claws.

But, unlike diurnal predators, owls fly at night, and a number of features in their structure are associated with this feature of their life. The eyes of owls are huge, with a wide-opening pupil: through such a pupil, even with poor twilight lighting, enough light enters.

However, it is impossible to track prey from afar, from such a height as diurnal predators track it, in the dark - and the owl flies low above the ground and looks not to the sides, but straight down (compare the position of the eyes of an owl and other birds). But at close range, a noisy flight would scare away the prey that the owl is looking for (various small rodents - mice and voles) - and the owl has soft and loose plumage, which makes its flight completely silent.

In the darkness of the night and during silent flight, sensitive hearing serves as a good aid to vision - and the owl's ear is equipped with a movable skin fold, around which radiantly sitting feathers are located in the form of a corolla. Such a device, similar to the auricle of mammals, helps owls to catch the smallest rustles.

That is, an owl is, as it were, a cat among birds, and, despite the significant difference in the structure of these two animals belonging to two different classes, we will find many similar features in them that characterize both the owl and the cat precisely as nocturnal predators (location large eyes with strongly dilated pupils, auricles directed forward, inaudible movement).

Prey - mainly rodents, medium-sized birds, insects; in fish owls and owls - fish. In captivity, many willingly eat fresh herbs. Females do not differ in color from males, but are larger than them. Nests - in hollows, in rock niches, in ruins, under the roofs of houses, on trees (in abandoned alien nests) and on the ground, in a few - in holes. From 1 to 12, sometimes up to 18 (barn owls) white eggs. The female incubates for about a month from the first egg. In passerines and house owls - from the penultimate one. The male brings food. Male hawk owls, elf owls sometimes briefly replace the incubating female.

Monogamy. At gray owls, barn owl, some owls (brownie, passerine, but not horn-legged), male and female are faithful to each other for years. The type of development is chick. Most of them reach sexual maturity in the first year.

In captivity, some owls lived for a long time: barn owls - 18, owls - up to 22, and even owls 68 years old.

They inhabit all landscapes. Sedentary or nomadic birds. Some American owls, our needle-nosed and shovel are migratory. On winter migrations, long-eared owls gather in small groups.
The smallest owl is the North American elf owl. Length 12-15 centimeters, weight - 50 grams. Our sparrow owl is a little larger. The largest owl is the eagle owl: wingspan 1.5-1.8 meters, weight 2-4.2 kilograms.

11 species of the latter are found in many countries of the world. Barn owls are distinguished from true owls by their heart-shaped, non-round, "face mirror" and serrated claw on the middle finger. In the CIS, barn owls are found only in the Baltic States, Belarus and western Ukraine. They nest on bell towers, in old abandoned buildings, in hollows.



Most species of migratory birds migrate at night, and these are mainly those that are active during the day. Obviously, nocturnal migration has its advantages, otherwise the behavior of birds would have changed long ago in the course of long evolution. Many diurnal birds flying at night can only get food during the day. For example, passerines always eat well before their non-stop flight over vast seas, which often takes up a whole night. The only exceptions are long-distance diurnal passerine migrants, such as swallows, wagtails and pipits. Swallows, however, get food during the flight.

Many short-range passerine species migrate during the day. Distant migrants from this detachment fly at night, as during the day they are busy looking for food.

It is quite clear that the study of nocturnal bird migrations was not carried out as intensively as daytime ones. It is very possible that migratory birds and on dark nights they can distinguish the contours of land, lakes, rivers, as well as, for example, white ribbons of surf along the coast and the direction of white crests of waves on the surface of the sea. The surf can be heard as well as seen, even if the night migrants are flying high.

It could be assumed that the moon performs a function for night migrants similar to that of the sun for daytime migrants. However, back in the 1930s, it was found that the moon does not have a great influence on the flight of birds, this was subsequently confirmed using various methods. In recent years, the study of the orientation of birds during flights has shown that the moon does not really matter much for this.

Movement experiments with mallards, blue-winged teals, pintails, and Canada geese, which were released at night, provided with a small light bulb, showed that the birds immediately choose the right direction to their native habitat when the sky is cloudless. In cloudy weather, the mallards lost their orientation and almost fell into a panic. These experiments showed that birds can still navigate to some extent by the moon or stars. However, it should be taken into account that, for example, mallards are short-range migrants who do not make such record flights as long-distance migrants.

Experiments have shown that the species of birds studied were guided by the stars.

When the tested whitethroats of three species were shown pictures of the starry sky that did not correspond to the given time of the year during the periods of flights, the birds were confused. When they were shown the spring sky in autumn, they flew in the direction of the spring migration. If they saw the autumn sky in the spring, they flew south.

At least three night-migrating species of warblers seem to orient themselves by the stars, taking into account their position at the corresponding time of the year in a certain area. How birds establish the direction of flight is still unknown. Perhaps this mechanism is hereditary; while no one knows how the bird flies and where it will stop. Although the experiments were performed on captive-fed birds who had never seen the night sky before, they immediately chose the right direction without hesitation. Experiments with indigo bunting finches in North America, gave interesting results, showing that constellation patterns in nesting sites are fixed in chicks and this manifests itself during their first flight.

A young bird is imprinted with a picture of the starry sky, with the help of which it sets the direction during the first flight. This, however, does not help to explain the reactions of species to the pictures of the starry sky at more southern latitudes, which are observed during the first flight and which, for example, in experiments with the Accurate Warblers lead to a change in course. The fact that nocturnal migrants kept in cages choose the direction of flight corresponding to a given time of year and a given area was confirmed by the example of 12 other species of birds.

The fact that migratory birds can fly considerable distances in the absence of visibility, maintaining a certain direction and at the same time taking into account wind drift, is one of the remarkable discoveries made with the help of radar. How is the orientation of birds carried out during such a "blind" flight? Perhaps acoustic means of orientation help here.

As a rule, birds fly silently, without drowning out the sounds coming from outside. It is believed that birds can perceive sounds for much high altitudes compared to human hearing. With the help of balloons, it was possible to register sounds emanating from the earth's surface at night at considerable heights. At the same time, it was found that, for example, the noise of a train is heard over 6400 m, the rumble of Niagara Falls is over 4500 m, the barking of dogs is over 1800, the voices of people, the croaking of frogs and the noise of current waters are over 1000, the chirping of crickets is over 750, the sound of sea waves - for 100 m, etc.

Night migrants over Louisiana, as it turned out, fly at altitudes from 250 to 2400 m. Apparently, they easily perceive different sounds from the earth's surface.

Many birds migrating at night periodically emit calling calls, which is of orientational value and, in addition, apparently helps to keep the flock closed or communicate with other birds of the same species. It has been observed that birds often give voices in cloudy or foggy weather, when these sounds are also best heard. The intensity of calls also increases during flights along the coast.

It has been suggested that birds make voices during night flights in order to catch the echo from the earth's surface. Controlled balloons perceive the echo from their own sound after 8 seconds at an altitude of about 1300 m.

Thus, it has been established that birds receive and use sound information from the earth's surface, but it has not been clarified in what way this information is processed in order to orient the flight in a certain direction.

How do young long-distance migrants find their wintering grounds during their first flight?

The readiness of a bird for flight largely depends on internal physiological factors. If their influence stops on the way, migration is interrupted, of course, provided that the bird ends up in a place where there are suitable ecological conditions for it.

Previously, it was pointed out that in young birds during their first migration, the end of migration is associated with reaching the wintering grounds; consequently, the influence of the environment in these places determines the termination of the flight. But it also happens the other way around: the time and place of the end of the flight can be determined by a time mechanism finely arranged for distant migrants, and it is precisely this mechanism that can predetermine the “choice” of wintering sites.

Evidence for this hypothesis has recently been presented. A clear temporal relationship was found between the duration of the migratory disturbance period in these species and the distance they usually fly in autumn. A similar picture was also found in experiments with the Chiffchaff. The mentioned species migrate at different distances - from 250 km (Sardinian warbler) to 5 thousand km (garden warbler), which, of course, determines very significant differences in the duration of migratory disturbance in the respective species. This means that the long-distance migration of birds is predetermined in time; it stops at the moment when the birds reach a certain wintering place. Not only each species, but also different populations of specific bird species, differ in the duration of internal and inherited temporal mechanisms on which the distance of flight depends.

Basic life forms of birds

Diurnal Birds of Prey

Diurnal Birds of Prey they feed, with some exceptions, on the meat of animals they have caught or on carrion. All are characterized by a hooked beak, the base of which is covered with wax, powerful claws, dense hard plumage. They belong to two families: hawks (eagles, kites, hawks, harriers, etc.) and falcons (all falcons). The positive importance of birds of prey in maintaining natural balance is now generally recognized. Systematic protection of many species is carried out. Birds of prey are not only useful - they are natural monuments. Some species of our fauna are listed in the Red Book of the USSR. The most common diurnal birds of prey in the middle lane are the buzzard and the kestrel falcon.

The buzzard is a fairly large, chicken-sized predator of a brownish color with a rounded tail. Often, alone or in the company of his own kind, he flies in wide, smooth circles over a floodplain, a harvested field, or a forest edge, uttering a high, repeating cry of "kiaai ... kiaai!" - whining. In behavior and size, a kite is a bit similar to a buzzard, differing from it in a forked tail and a cry resembling a neigh. The sharp-winged long-tailed falcon - kestrel can be recognized by the characteristic manner of fluttering in place in the air, looking out for field rodents. Red kestrels and dark gray falcons with a reddish belly are still numerous birds of the steppes and forest-steppes; they let a person close, sitting on poles, wires or haystacks. Quite often, hawks began to meet recently, until recently they were actively pursued by man. More often you can see a sparrowhawk. It is about the size of a dove and appears long-tailed and short-winged when compared to a similarly sized falcon, such as the kestrel. The striated coloration of the chest and belly is striking.

nocturnal birds of prey

Barn owl, unlike other owls, has an elongated facial disc

nocturnal birds of prey- owls - are characterized by soft plumage (it makes their flight inaudible), a hooked beak, and the presence of a facial disc. Owls have the ability to catch their prey, mostly small rodents, in complete darkness, guided solely by the sounds they make. Such a "passive location", which has a number of differences from ordinary hearing, was studied at the Laboratory of Ornithology of the Moscow state university. Owls determine the direction to prey with amazing accuracy - up to one degree. The sounds made by the victim are the main landmark of the owl. The hunting owl flies low and often stops in the air or occupies already familiar "observation points", sensitively listening to the slightest sound. Hearing the squeak of a rodent, the owl alerts the facial disc, which becomes round and flat. Having aimed it at the victim, the bird takes off and rushes towards it, putting its claws forward. Just before the object, she sharply leans back and grabs the rodent with her claws. Alertness of the facial disc changes the properties of the auditory system and facilitates the perception of the rodent signal: its detection, identification, and location. No other birds can locate sounds as accurately as owls.

The most common in our fauna are the red-eared owl with transverse streaks on the belly and tufts of feathers resembling ears on the head, as well as the common owl, gray, without ears. Most species of small owls - owls and cutworms - live in the southern and western parts of the country. The little owl is a common inhabitant of human buildings.

Birds - amazing creatures, which can not only delight the eye with their elegant plumage, but also delight with speed, agility and beautiful flight. Among the known species of birds, birds of prey have always been of great interest to humans.

natural born hunters, with magnificent curved claws, a very keen eye and incredible maneuverability, they are created by assassins. Attacking their prey, these birds do not know mercy. Falconiformes is a detachment of birds of prey, which includes the following bright representatives: falcons, eagles, buzzards, hawks and others.

Diurnal Birds of Prey

Not all birds that hunt for their food are predators. Many species feed on various living creatures, however, they are not classified as birds of prey. Maybe this will surprise someone, but the owls that many live in Russia, not accepted as birds of prey. Although they share many similarities with eagles and hawks, they are classified as nocturnal predators.

Although all birds of prey are carnivorous, their diet can include not only reptiles and mammals, but even insects. The same applies to the shrike or skua.

Zoological systematics relates to the category of diurnal birds of prey only those of them that belong to the order of falcons. The most famous of them:

• hawks;
• eagles;
• falcons;
• eagles.

These are just some of the diurnal birds of prey that share a similar appearance: a downward-curved beak, curved, and very sharp claws. The color of heterosexual representatives of these species is mostly almost the same, however, females are several times larger than males. Taking into account this fact, it is possible to distinguish a male from a female even with the naked eye from the outside.

Enough large predator, which has a bright beautiful color: a dark top with a gray tint, yellow eyes and light transverse stripes on the breast. The weight adult is in the range from 700 grams to 1.5 kilograms.

has long been considered a harmful predator, but is now protected by Russian law and is under protection, like other species of diurnal birds of prey.

He hunts various birds, deftly and with predatory prowess destroying crows, thrushes and other birds. Does not shun squirrels and even young hares. Basically, sick or injured animals become its victims; they simply cannot escape from its tenacious paws and powerful beak.

The goshawk lives almost throughout the vast tundra and in the northern regions, along the floodplains in the southern tundra. It usually nests in very tall trees., and the eggs that the female hawk lays are light in color with spots of dark colors.

This is a bright representative of the order of diurnal birds of prey living in Russia. The weight of such an individual ranges from 4 to 7 kilograms, and the wingspan can reach up to 2 meters. It is worth noting that the distinctive feature of this handsome man is a white tail, which can only be observed in an adult bird, whose age is more than three years.

The young specimen has a dark tail, because of this it can be confused with a golden eagle or even with an eagle. However, the bird can be distinguished during the flight. The tail of an eagle will be wedge-shaped, while that of a golden eagle will be rounded.

The habitat of this predator is almost all of Russia, with the exception of waterless desert places and the Far North. This hunter nests on deciduous trees and only sometimes - on the rocks. In the nesting places of the eagle, there will certainly be nearby water bodies and rivers, where he can get fish in the required quantity and waterfowl, which he usually hunts.

To meet an eagle on the territory of the open tundra is a great success. As a rule, in such places the bird prefers not to nest. The eagle builds its nests in such an area on hills or cliffs.

Eagles are not distinguished by such devotion and fidelity as swans, but they are always constant in choosing a partner. The female usually lays up to three eggs, which are white in color and have small brown spots. In some cases, the spots may be ocher in color.

Eagle is an incredibly beautiful predator, listed in the Red Book. The conservation of this bird species is one of the priorities Russian environmental legislation. This predator seeks to avoid people, and there have been cases when the eagle migrated to distant rocks from its habitual places near water bodies with the frequent appearance of people there.

Falcons and eagles

The falcon is an amazingly fast bird, a born hunter. The speed that the falcon is able to develop in the process of hunting can reach more than 320 kilometers per hour. In the sky, the predator feels incredibly confident and, as a rule, always overtakes the victim.

Falcons and eagles live in most of Russia, with the exception of the Arctic zone. Like eagles, falcons are very often tamed by people and used in hunting trips. The falcon always remains a faithful and reliable friend to its owner.

Perfect vision, beautiful plumage, tenacious claws, with steel strength, a massive curved beak - distinctive features falcon and eagle.

Like many other birds of prey in Russia, falcons are protected by law. Some varieties of falcons, such as peregrine falcons or gyrfalcons, are prohibited from being exported from the country.

nocturnal birds of prey

Birds of prey that hunt their prey primarily at night are called nocturnal birds of prey. The brightest representative of this species is the owl, which has several subspecies:

• owl polar or white;
• short-eared owl;
• hawk or falcon.

If not everyone has seen rare representatives of diurnal predators, most of the Russian population with enviable regularity can meet an owl in the urban environment, not to mention the forests, where there are significantly more of them.

White Owl

This is the largest representative of the entire family of owls, with a wingspan of up to 1.5 meters and a body length of more than 70 centimeters. Young owls are variegated in color, while older individuals are white with black spots on their heads. The paws of owls have abundant plumage, the eyes are yellow, and the beak is black.

The owl hunts for rodents and some birds, such as gulls, snow buntings, sandpipers and even ducks. Sometimes an owl can torment forest animals that have fallen into a trap. For this reason hunters dislike owls and can destroy them at a meeting.

short-eared owl

More often than all other varieties of owls in the tundra and swampy areas, you can meet a short-eared owl. AT winter months this species roams throughout Asia and Europe, can even reach Africa and America.

The main difference between a short-eared owl and a polar owl is its dimensions. The length of an adult bird ranges from 30 to 40 centimeters, and its wingspan is not more than 1 meter.

Its color has a brown or yellowish tint, paws and beak are black. Not only rodents, but also frogs with insects can get into her diet.

hawk owl

This owl can be attributed to diurnal predators. It has much in common with a falcon, which is why it is often called a falcon owl. Sharp wings and a falcon-like manner of hunting, screams and incredible courage, a quick climb and a lightning attack make her the best hunter among her relatives.

In Russia, the hawk owl is found in the tundra, where it enters through floodplain places from the north of the Ob.

How many amazing creatures are next to a person! Insects, birds, animals, microorganisms. These are our smaller brothers, which we sometimes forget about. And they help us, feed, please the eye and ear. Now I would like to talk about birds.

Some lyrics

"What are you eating about? night-bird? - this expression became winged, thanks to the song of Konstantin Nikolsky. People often turn to the theme of birds in their work. Well, their wings do not give rest, the feeling of freedom of flight, nobility and beauty! These marvelous creatures so strongly attract a person!

In poets and writers one can often find: “hands-wings”, “like a bird in a cage”, “why don’t people fly?” and other expressions.

Specifically, ornithologists are engaged in the study of the life of birds. According to the features of visual perception, feathered friends are divided into two main types: day and night birds. The division is rather arbitrary. Nocturnal birds of prey, in fact, are not so many.

Owl

An owl is a night bird (who doesn't know about it). After it, you can name a little-known night bird of nightjars, and few people met a night heron and an avdotka.

Their vision is arranged in a special way. Night birds see well in the dark, the following is noted in the structure of their eyes: a tubular structure, a small number of color receptors. In addition, they have a very strong ciliary muscle, the task of which is to instantly change the lens from a rounded shape to a thin slit.

Even in nocturnal birds, in addition to the two usual eyelids, there is an additional eyelid, or rather, a membrane, in front of the eyes. All these natural adaptations help the bird to hunt at night and protect the eyes from sudden changes in lighting. The beak of birds of prey is strong, hard, often curved at the end. On the legs are sharp claws of a rather large size.

Consider how night birds hunt using the example of owls. These are typical nocturnal birds. They do it in a very unique way. The owl has a kind of facial plate, with frontally located eyes. This plate is a kind of screen or radar for picking up sounds more accurately. The owl cannot look to the side and turns its whole head, creating a location for the sound.

The wingspan is large, the body is dense, strong. An owl, having heard the slightest squeak emitted by a rodent, as if strains this very facial disk and determines the direction to its prey with great accuracy. Then it rushes in the right direction. Due to the very soft plumage, the predator flies barely audibly, and in flight it can stop for a fraction of a moment, specifying the trajectory of movement.

Having overtaken the victim, the owl grabs it with its paws, slightly tilting its body back. Owls feed mainly on rodents. But some large species can "eat" a hare, duck or crow. There are several types of owls in nature, here is a short list of them:

• eared owl;
• owl;
• owl and others.

There are approximately 140 species of these birds. By weight, owls range from 0.5 kg to 4.5 kg or more. They are found in different parts of the world. long-eared owl can be found in Eurasia ( forest zone), as well as in North America.

Owls live in trees, in nests left by other birds. The polar owl (or white) lives on the coast and islands of the Arctic Ocean. A very large body (up to 160 cm), feeds mainly on lemmings.

diurnal birds

In the order of diurnal birds, ornithologists count 270 species! The most famous of them: falcons, hawks, buzzards, eagles. Appearance these birds are quite impressive. Almost half of the head is a beak, a strong body and very powerful claws. Looks beautiful and intimidating. Man has long tried to tame predators, to adapt them for hunting. I must say, successfully!

Falcon hunting

Falconry is popular among connoisseurs in our time. Special gloves are made for such hunting, on which a bird sits (so as not to injure a person), a cap on a falcon's head. Birds of prey have particularly sharp eyesight. Their eyes are very reminiscent of reptile eyes, located on the sides of the head. They are large in size and are able to focus their vision, pointing it at the victim from a great height. The structure of the eye is such that the image of the victim seems to increase. Such an unusual "optics" is admirable!

Peregrine falcon - "clear falcon"

One of the most famous falcons is the peregrine falcon. This predator is exceptionally beautiful, with black eyes and a pattern of superciliary ridges above them. He is the strongest and fastest. The peregrine falcon, hunting, "dive" on its prey at great speed (230 km / h). Can grab it with its claws. And if the prey is large, the peregrine falcon knocks it down with sharp protrusions of its claws and picks it up on the fly. A favorite compliment to a young man in Russia - the “clear falcon” was not said in vain, he hinted at many masculine qualities! Unfortunately, the peregrine falcon is almost exterminated, it was listed in the Red Book, like many other birds.

Common diurnal predators

These birds are noble. They do not live long in captivity. Interestingly, many representatives of bird species have monogamous pairs. Diurnal predators are more common than nocturnal ones. Consider a small list:

• Rough-legged buzzard, found in the tundra and forest-tundra zones in Russia. It builds its nests on the cliffs of the coast or in the trees. Buzzards in this area feed on mice and lemmings.
• The white-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Russia, similar to the golden eagle. Orlan seeks to settle near people, water bodies. Feeds on fish, waterfowl and wild birds.
• Hawk. These birds are considered "orderlies of the forest." They can eat carrion, thereby benefiting nature. But hawks also prey on squirrels, hares, and fish.

Not birds of prey

There are a huge number of bird species on earth - 9800! The cutest creature is the kiwi bird. She is the smallest and feeds on pollen and nectar. What other non-carnivorous birds are best known? Let's sketch a short list: storks, swans, geese, ducks, herons, crows, rooks, sparrows, jackdaws, tits ... In this article it is not possible to list and describe them all. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, are available to a person for study and need his help.

An interesting fact of nature is that the division of "day and night birds" is very approximate. Repeatedly by ornithologists and ordinary people it has been observed that nocturnal birds feel quite comfortable in daylight. In the structure of their eyes, nature has provided a protective film - an additional eyelid that preserves the retina from excess daylight. Also, their pupil is able to narrow to an extremely thin slit. The owl will perfectly be able to pursue the victim during the day. And seagulls, for example, easily switch from daytime to twilight mode. This usually occurs in May, during the mass appearance of May beetles.

The organs of vision of birds living on the icy shores of the Arctic and Antarctica very easily adapt to the long polar day and the same polar night (or rather, “polar twilight”). The chirping of birds can be heard, for example, in the summer, after dark. Conversely, nocturnal birds can make sounds while awake during the day.

And in autumn, many small birds rush to the south and they prefer to do this after dark. Moreover, birds can sleep right in flight, they do not need to stop to sleep!

Truly diurnal birds are, perhaps, chickens. "Night blindness" overtakes them immediately with the onset of night.

And yet, amazing. Small, agile swifts can fly without stopping for four years!

The very first bird on Earth was Archeopteryx. Rather, it was a hybrid of a reptile and a bird.

1000 beats per minute makes the heart of a bird in flight! Feathers have something to surprise a person.

Conclusion

So what is the night bird singing about? This question is asked by two categories of people: ornithologists and poets. The first record the voices of birds, explore them. They are trying to understand what these sounds mean, what information signals our feathered friends send us. How they communicate with each other: express fear, requests for help, joy or anxiety.

And the poets are more straightforward, they enjoy the nightingale trills, as well as the chirping of other birds, and write their lyrical works. In bird songs they see only love.