About Goose Piskulku: Bird Description. Gray Goose, Gus-Sukhonos and Gus-Gumennik Piskulka Plant

Piskulka is a small goose, outwardly similar to a white-headed goose, only less. Sometimes a pisklychka is even called small Belolam Gusem. The name has been received because of the pisch published in flight.

Systematics

Russian name -Piskulka

Latin name - Anser Erythropus.

English name - Lesser White-Fronted Goose

Class - Birds (AVES)

Squad - Horse-shaped (Anseriformes)

Family - Duck (Anatidae)

Rod - Geese (Anser)

Environmental status

Piskulka refers to rare, protected species. According to international status, this goose is included in the category of ubiquitous vulnerable species - IUCN (VU), entered in the lists of the Red Book of Russia and Kazakhstan. It is guarded on the territory of the Shoisinsky reserve on the peninsula Kanin. The extensive once area of \u200b\u200bthe pisklki, stagnant throughout the Zone of Fondra and the Southern Tundra Eurasia, now broke up into separate small foci, and the number for half a century fell from 100,000 to several thousand birds. Protection measures, unfortunately, do not give positive results, as pisklyku is often confused with Belolam Guses and shoot during migrations.

View and man

Despite its "red-bubbling" status, the pisklyka still often falls under the shots of hunters, especially on the span, mainly because of its resemblance to Belolam Gusem, which refers to hunting species.

Distribution and place of habitat

The pisklyka nests in the northern part of Eurasia on the border with Tundra, in Festundra and North Taiga. In Russia, it meets from the Kola Peninsula in the West to the Anadyr Gulf in the East. Outside of Russia nests on the Scandinavian Peninsula. There is a pisklka in the valleys of large rivers, on the shores of lakes and small streams. Often prefers a semi-year landscape, rising even to the zone of alpine meadows.





Appearance

Externally, the piskly is really very similar to the white-headed goose, only less. Its dimensions: body length from 53 to 60 cm, wings span from 120 to 135 cm, the mass of an adult bird from 1.6 to 2.5 kg. Adult birds have a large white spot on the forehead, which is spread almost to the top. Around the eye there is a narrow yellow leathery ring. In the flight, the pisklki look more rustling than white geese.

Lifestyle and Social Behavior

Piskulka - a migratory view, winters in southern Europe (in particular on the Balkan Peninsula); Africa flies to Egypt; In Asia is found in Malaya Asia, Iran, India, in the southern parts of the PRC.

With short movements, the "crowd" is flying with indifferent and loud screamsBut with distant flights, the pack is built into line or angle. With other geese, almost do not mix. It goes well on the ground and even quite promptly runs, so catching a linous, not flying goose is quite difficult.

The flights make up most of the life of the piskle, on average they fly over the year about 8,000 km.

In wintering, a flock of pisklekul in the reeds, and in front of the dawn of the birds climbing with a cry, make several circles over the place of overnight stay and fly to the feeder. In the afternoon, at 12-13 hours the whole flock is as loud and together flies on the water.

In those areas where geese pursue, pisklki is extremely careful, but where they do not bother them, they are curious and can close to a stranger.

Food and Feed Behavior

The basis of the nutrition of the piskle is green vegetation. On the nesting places it is a horsettle, fluffy, and other herbs. In wintering, it will also be labeled with a variety of herbal vegetation, and sometimes fly out on the fields.

Reproduction and parental behavior

Piskulki arrive at the nesting places later than other geese, as if completing the span.

Like all geese, Piskly Mongam. They nest in a low shrub along the steep banks of rivers and streams; Forest sections avoid. Often, several pairs will fall at a short distance from each other, forming as if sparse colonies. At the same time, they are not averse to take advantage of the protection of the Mochnon Cushion or Sapsana, settling not far from the nests of these predators. The nest is a simple fossa in the ground lined with dry grass and moss. Pooh liner in the nest increases as they start. In the masonry can be from 1 to 8 eggs, more often than 4-6. Eggs are the same as in other geese, only smaller; The average weight of one egg is 7.4 g. Causes a female, and very tightly, in danger, often hidden. Maybe the person is close, after which the cry flies over the nest together with the male, which is always nearby. If there are still nesting couples nearby, they begin to worry and they. Exchange lasts 25-28 days.

The broods go into water and usually hold on small rivers. On the wing, young pisklki rises at the age of 35 days, and in half the crews become on the second year of life.

Life expectancy

In captivity, the pisklki live to 30 years, in nature - significantly less, according to some data - no more than 12.

Life in the Moscow Zoo.

Now in our zoo, there are only 4 pisculls (1 female and 3 male), and times when they regularly multiplied, alas, went into the past. The last ratio was obtained in 2008. There are pics on a large pond of the old territory. The diet includes vegetable and animal food, in the amount of about 800 g per person.

Bird on external signs resembles a white-headed goose, but only smaller sizes.

Therefore, ornithologists call it sometimes with a small Belolam Guseum or the Small Camera. The body weight of the bird is small and ranges from one and a half to two kilograms. In the color of the plumage, gray and brown tones are dominated. In general, the darkest chest, goiter and sides are highlighted, they are covered with brown-black feathers, and stomach and suite with a beautiful white plumage.

A distinctive feature of the pisklki is a white spot located on the tremery. The beak in the bird is a short, reddish shade.

For the construction of the nest, Piskulka chooses the shores of water bodies in the northern regions, in Tundra and Foreturotundra. The geography of the spread of the form is quite extensive: from the Kola Peninsula to Far East. Winter birds in Crimea, Transcaucasia, on the Black Sea.


Piskulka - a rare bird.

With the onset of spring, flocks of birds rushed in the places of its permanent nesting, where they appear in April and arrive until the beginning of June. Piskulka chooses secluded places in the lower reaches of small mountain rivers, on the shores of the lakes. The bird's nest is simple, usually located among shrubs, less often on the rocks, but necessarily close to the reservoir.


The female lays 4-8 eggs painted in light yellow color. The food diet piskly is mainly made of plants that it finds on the shore of the reservoir. During molting, which occurs in a year, the bird behaves extremely carefully and is knocked down in flocks, they can be found during feeding. From the enemies in this difficult period, it escapes the flight on land, besides, the piskly is good.


In search of food, disorderly flocks can accomplish small flights. But with the onset of the autumn, the birds make training flights, laying down an angle or inclined line. With this construction, the entire main load during the movement gets the first bird, it must be the strongest and hardy.


For wintering flocks, the pics will fly away in September or in October. But its presence can be found on many reservoirs found on the path of the flight of this rare bird. In the European and Asian parts of our Motherland, flocks are stopped to feed and fly further into the warm areas of wintering.

To rare birds living in nature, there is a pussy goose. He got the name for a similar to a squeak sound published during the flight. In appearance, the pisklock is similar to Belogolov Guses. Poaching hunting, ecological cataclysms led to the fact that the number of individuals became catastrophically small. Therefore, at the request of Norwegian ornithologists, the bird was listed in the Red Book. The problem of restoring the number of features in this country is engaged in various security measures.

To reduce poaching, the breed was listed in the Red Book

Although externally, the bird is close to its relatives of the Belogolov Gusev, but by weight of the body it is significantly less. The length of 65 centimeters, the scope of the wings - 135 cm. By weight, it is not too much instance, just a half - three kilograms.

Coloring feathers at the goose brownish-gray, but on the stomach and the suite - the snow-white. You can distinguish a pisklka from other types of geese on the white spot on the head that reaches the eye level. Young individuals are deprived of this sign of an adult bird. It is highlighted on a dark plumage of the head of the eye, as if surrounded by rings of yellow.

Of the features external view You can mark reddish colors paws, pink short beak.

Lifestyle

Piskulka refers to the migratory species of birds. As soon as snow starts to melting, bird flocks return to their native nests. For the device, goose nest chooses the place hidden from human eyes in more often shrubs or mountainous areas.

For a piskly, it is important that water beside the habitat. Goose can often be found on small water bodies, rivers, where he finds myself soaked.

Although the bird applies to waterfowl, but she is looking for lakes on the shores, rivers, and not in water. Gus love to commemorate:

  • young greens of grass;
  • leaves, stems of trees;
  • russian, the tail;
  • cultural plants in the fields - alfaling, oats, wheat;
  • fruit.

Piskulka likes to eat, cereal crops, and fruit

During the period of replacing the plumage, the caution of the bird increases, as its body is not protected by feathers. Safety from enemies can quickly run or swimming.

At the end of the summer, the geese of a pisklki gather in flocks, conducting workout before a long flight. Special severity falls on the leader of the flock flying ahead of everyone. He must differ endurance, be strong.

The term to fly to the wintering comes for pics in October. At this time, geese can be found on the shores of the reservoirs, where the flock is resting after a long journey. For the day of the bird, almost one and a half thousand kilometers fly.

In nature, Piskulka lives from five to twelve years, in captivity - twice as much.

Reproduction

After returning to his homeland, geese begins marriage. Families create males after courtship and marriage games. Having achieved love of the female, goose together with her prepares a nest, sowing a hole and putting it with the stems of the canthaw, rugs, moss.

A warm nest is deposited up to eight eggs of light yellow tone, which geese carefully rises. After 28 days, chicks appear, then the care of them falls on the shoulders of both parents. To feed offspring, they have to make short flights. After three months, hatching chicks begin an independent life. They can already fly out of the nest, getting food.

Habitat

For accommodation, geese choose hard-to-reach areas where many herbaceous swamps, grinding shrubs, impassable trails.

In connection with the pollution of water bodies, their population is nearby decreases

Meet a piskly in the northern part of the European continent. Suitable for the life of the bird of the Kola, Scandinavian Peninsulas.

Winter migratory flocks in the Black Sea area, in Caspiani. Stay on the wintering in Hungary, Romania, Greece, China, Azerbaijan.

In connection with the drying of rivers and lakes, the poisoning of plant chemicals near the water bodies, the population population is reduced. In Norway there are only thirty copies. Help to destroy birds and poachers. The activity of the reserve Peninsula Kanin, the zoo in Moscow is aimed at preserving this unique view.

Low learned geese pisklki is a rare and protected look relating to the detachment of the cross-shaped, the family of duck, the genus of geese. The bird received an unusual nickname due to the length of the "TJU-Yui". Caught to gaguat as well as her relatives. Known under the names Small Belong Goose and Small Camera. This is a migratory feathery, living in the north of our country. Prefers to settle near the reservoirs, where he is looking for food.

general characteristics

Latin The name of the species sounds like Anser Erythropus.

The sizes of the pussy: the length of the body reaches 60 cm, the span of the wings - 1 m 30 cm. Weight - from 1.5 to 2.5 kg.

Bird's plumage is painted in dark gray, brown, white and yellow shades. Breasts and sides cover dark feathers, and the belly is light.

Sexual dimorphism is expressed in external differences. The male neck is longer than the female.

Gus-Piskulka looks like a fellow - Belolakoy Goose. Consider a number of distinctive features, which include:

  • steep forehead;
  • short, thick neck;
  • small sizes of the head;
  • yellow paws;
  • narrow, short beak pink shade;
  • long but not wide wings;
  • white spot on the forehead;
  • the area around the eyes is covered with yellow feathers.

Geography of habitat view

Piskulka - Bird, common in the north of Russia. The nesting points of the species are located in the territory from the Kola Peninsula to the Far East. Make the geese in Tundra, Festourpore and Taiga. Choose areas with topping swamps, where many dense shrubs and thickets, and there are stony areas.

The number of this type is reduced, and in some regions it was listed in the Red Book. The modern area of \u200b\u200bthe goose piskulki is represented by separate fragments.

Piskulka - migrant. For the winter flies on the coast of the Black and Mediterranean seas. Set up in China, Azerbaijan, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Croatia and other warm fields.

Migration features

Flights to warm edges for wintering are carried out due to search best conditions For accommodation and food. Gus pisklki mobile and capable of overcome long distances. They fly quickly, although it seems that it is not.

In the fall, targeted preparation for flights occurs. Departure time - September, October. To teach and prepare young, the elders spent training flights.

Birds form flocks in the form of a wedge or lined up diagonally. The chapter has experienced and powerful leaders who know how to lead the flock for themselves. Along the way to the south of Geus, stop near the water bodies for the feed and rest.

Early spring geese is returned to permanent nesting places. Arrival time - from April to June.

Lifestyle and behavior

The squeaky voice of geese serves signals to each other during long flights. In the same way, they communicate, looking for meal. And during the marriage games, the sounds of males get rougher and louder. And the females on the contrary - gentle and quieter.

It feeds on a goose plant and animal food: berries, fruits, seeds of cereal plants, grass, insects. Food search occurs on land, although the bird is actively swimming in water.

Gus piskulki quickly and fiercely run. Love stand on one leg.

Linka in geese occurs once a year. To protect against predators in this particularly vulnerable time, birds are knocked down in flocks and hide in high grass thickets and shrubs.

River nizes, lakes, streams, coastal reeds and acosses attract geese. In the bushes, among stones and bumps, they have their nests and remove chicks.

The nest of the piskly, the uncomplicated and inconspicuous - this is a small fossa, where the bird folds the stalks of cane, feathers and fluff.

Reproduction and cultivation of offspring

During the period of reproduction, lasting from April to July, these artistic birds begin to lead a secluded lifestyle. The male is actively caring for the female. If his flirting is completed by the females favor, then the pair starts playing themselves like.

Together the couple builds the nest and prepares for reaching.

Usually in masonry 4-6 eggs. During the month, while the female rises eggs, it becomes vulnerable and can become easy prey to predators. Male Ryano guarded the chief and future offspring. In case of danger, departs away from the nest, distracting the enemies to the peak.

Eggs painted in white and yellow color. After 25-28 days, chicks hatch. Both parents are engaged in their upbringing. Geese look after the offspring, teach swimming in the water, searching for feed, teach fly. But the most important task for parents is to ensure the safety of small gesyat.

Pickles of brood type piskly - they are adapted to early independent life. Appear already with down feathers. Literally immediately begin to run quickly and glue food. By 2 years, these are already full-fledged hatching birds, ready to reproduce offspring.

In nature, a pisklka goose lives about 5-12 years. In captivity, these birds can reach up to 30 years.

Relationship with man

Factors affecting the reduction in the size of the species are hunting in the places of wintering geese, as well as non-essential bird poisoning with chemicals.

One of the common limiting factors is the destruction of habitual habitats: drainage of water bodies, cutting down shrubs.

This species is guarded by a person. Guses piscules in the Moscow Zoo and in the reserve on the Peninsula Kanin in the Nenets Autonomous District.

 

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