Project ecological group of birds. Ecological groups of birds by nesting sites. General characteristics of the class

To environmental groups by habitat (Fig. 180) unite birds that have the most characteristic adaptations (adaptations) to life in certain conditions, for example, in the forest, in open spaces, reservoirs, their coasts, swamps. This takes into account not only the structure, but also the behavior.

Often the ecological groups of birds determine by nesting sites : crown-nesting, shrubby, ground-nesting, hollow-nesting, norniks.

Environmental groups birds stand out and by type of food : herbivorous (including granivorous), insectivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, scavengers.

Birds from different, sometimes distant from each other, systematic groups often fall into the same ecological group, since taxonomy is based on genetic proximity, degree of relationship, and common origin.

Birds of the forest. Most modern birds are associated with the forest. Everyone knows our forest birds: tits, woodpeckers, thrushes, hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie well adapted to life in forests. They have short, rounded wings and long tails. This allows the birds to take off quickly and tack between trees.

Among forest birds there are herbivorous (granivorous), insectivorous, predatory and omnivorous (Fig. 181).

Depending on the nature of the food, beaks and limbs are differently developed in birds. So, insectivores tits, pikas, kinglets, warblers they have thin pointed beaks that allow them to get insects from the crevices of the bark, grab them from the leaves, and get them out of the scales of the cones. Sharp claws and long fingers allow these birds to hold on to branches.

Granivorous birds – greenfinches, schury, grosbeaks. They have a powerful beak, which splits the dense shells of fruits. So grosbeak successfully breaks the strong fruits of bird cherry and cherry. The sharp ends of the crossed beak crossbills allow them to deftly extract seeds from pine and spruce cones.

Large forest birds hazel grouse, black grouse, capercaillie- Spend a lot of time on the ground. With strong legs, armed with large claws, they rake the forest floor, select the seeds of plants, insects, and earthworms. strong beaks they bite buds, young shoots of trees and shrubs, feed on juicy blueberries, blueberries, lingonberries.

They have a typical appearance for forest birds. magpie and goshawk(Fig. 182): relatively short rounded wings and a long tail. These birds perfectly maneuver among forest trees, have a nimble flight. However, due to the use of different food, their legs and beaks are developed differently. Hawk - predator: its prey are various small birds. With strong legs, armed with powerful claws, the hawk grabs the prey, dismembers it with a bent predatory beak. The magpie has a small cone-shaped beak, which helps it eat a variety of foods (be omnivore ): collect fruits and seeds from the ground, grab insects, worms, a large beetle, and even catch a small mouse.

Birds of open spaces live in meadows, steppes, deserts. They spend a lot of time on the ground looking for food among plants. They have strong legs and a long neck, allowing them to detect the enemy at a great distance. One of the typical representatives of the steppe regions of our country - bustard(see fig. 179, 6 ). it large bird weighing 15-16 kg, feeds mainly on plant foods. Possessing a protective coloration, it often hides among the vegetation, becoming completely invisible. The nest is arranged on the ground, in areas of the virgin steppe. Brood type chicks. In connection with the plowing of virgin steppes, the number of bustards has sharply decreased, and it is included in the Red Book of Russia.

Typical birds of open spaces are ostriches.

waterfowl swim well, many dive. They have a flattened, boat-shaped body, webbed feet, and their legs are set far back. On the ground they move, awkwardly waddling, with a duck's gait. The plumage is dense, with water-repellent properties: the feathers are prevented from getting wet by the secretion of the coccygeal gland, with which the birds carefully lubricate the plumage. Representatives of waterfowl - ducks, geese(Fig. 183) , swans.

A typical representative of waterfowl - mallard duck(see fig. 179, 9 ) that feed in shallow water. Along the edges of its flattened wide beak are horny teeth . With incomplete closing of the jaws through the lattice formed by the teeth, the ducks filter the water, leaving food objects in the mouth: crustaceans, insect larvae, small fish, vegetative parts of plants. The mallard feeds at shallow depths. Sometimes, lowering her head into the water, turning over and exposing the back of her body from the water, she collects food from the bottom and strains it. Mallards make nests on the ground among plants. The lining for the nest is its own downy feathers, plucked from the chest and belly. Clutch 8-14 eggs. Brood type chicks.

Birds of the coasts of reservoirs and swamps live on the banks of water bodies and in swamps, have many common features buildings. They have long, thin legs and a neck, a large beak (see Fig. 179, 5, 10 ). In swampy places, their body, raised high above the ground, does not get wet. They feed on frogs, fish, insects, worms, and mollusks. Moving through swamps and coastal shallows, they seize prey with their beak, like with tweezers. These are storks, herons, waders. Many of them nest on the banks, not far from the water, others make their nests in trees. Storks have long lived next to humans. People take care of them, arranging platforms for nests.

sea birds – guillemots, puffins, seagulls- form bird colonies on steep cliffs. They are adapted for hovering over the sea surface (Fig. 184).

Ecological groups of birds according to the ways of feeding. A peculiar group of birds foraging in the air - swallows and swifts(Fig. 185 and 180, 1 ). They spend almost their entire lives in the air, hunting insects from morning to evening. They have long sickle-curved wings. The beak is small, and the slit of the mouth is huge, the corners of the mouth go behind the eyes. With a wide open mouth, they catch flying insects, while the size of the mouth funnel is increased by bristles located at the corners of the mouth. In good dry weather, insects rise high above the ground, and when the humidity of the air rises, the wings of insects get wet, they fly low above the ground. Swallows and swifts follow them, so the flight of swallows and swifts predicts the approach of rain.

Common features possess predators (Fig. 186 and 180, 3 ). They have large strong legs, armed with sharp claws, and a hook-shaped beak. Such features are diurnal predatory birds, owls and even shrikes pertaining to songbirds. The prey of many predators are small animals, which they look out for from a great height, flying over the fields. Other predators catch small birds, feed on fish, large insects. Birds of prey fly beautifully, among them there are long soaring ones, for example buzzards, eagles and vultures. Falcons pursue prey in the air, and then, diving at it, can reach speeds of up to 300 km / h. They have sharp sickle-curved wings that enable them to fly quickly.

On this basis, four groups are distinguished. Representatives of each of them eat a certain type of food:

Insectivorous birds (for example, tits or pikas) have thin, pointed beaks, thanks to which they can pull their prey from leaves or take it out of thin cracks.

Herbivorous birds, including granivorous ones (for example, greenfinches) have a powerful beak, thanks to which they can break through the dense shells of fruits. And the sharp ends of the beak help me to pull out the seeds from the cones of various trees.

Birds of prey (for example, the eagle) feed on various small birds. They have strong legs with powerful claws, thanks to which they grab prey.

Omnivorous birds (for example, magpies) have a cone-shaped beak that helps them feed on various types of food.

Insectivorous tits, pikas, kinglets, warblers have thin pointed beaks that allow you to get insects from the crevices of the bark, grab them from the leaves, and get them out of the scales of the cones. Sharp claws and long fingers allow these birds to hold on to branches.

A peculiar group of birds that forage in the air are swallows and swifts. They spend almost their entire lives in the air, hunting insects from morning to evening. They have long sickle-curved wings. The beak is small, and the slit of the mouth is huge, the corners of the mouth go behind the eyes. With a wide open mouth, they catch flying insects, while the size of the mouth funnel is increased by bristles located at the corners of the mouth. In good dry weather, insects rise high above the ground, and when the humidity of the air rises, the wings of insects get wet, they fly low above the ground. Swallows and swifts follow them, so the flight of swallows and swifts predicts the approach of rain.

Grain-eating birds - greenfinches, smurfs, grosbeaks. They have a powerful beak, which splits the dense shells of fruits. So the grosbeak successfully breaks the strong fruits of bird cherry and cherry. The sharp ends of the crossing beak of crossbills allow them to deftly extract seeds from pine and spruce cones.

Predators have common features. They have large strong legs, armed with sharp claws, and a hook-shaped beak. Such signs have diurnal predator birds, owls and even shrikes related to songbirds. The prey of many predators are small animals, which they look out for from a great height, flying over the fields. Other predators catch small birds, feed on fish, large insects. Birds of prey are excellent fliers, among them are long soaring birds, such as buzzards, eagles and vultures. Falcons pursue prey in the air, and then, diving at it, can reach speeds of up to 300 km / h. They have sharp sickle-curved wings that enable them to fly quickly.

In the process of evolution among birds, a large number of various forms have been developed, adapted to life in a wide variety of conditions. Some birds inhabited forests and bush thickets, where they developed an appropriate paw arrangement for life among the branches. Other forms adapted to life on the water, and their further development followed the path of specialization in swimming and diving. Some forms, to a greater extent than others, have mastered the air environment and spend most of their lives on wings, revealing various adaptations in the structure of the wing, which ensure the soaring flight of large predators, the swift active flight of swifts and swallows. Steppes and deserts are inhabited by a number of species that have adapted to walking and running on hard ground.

Based on the preferred types of landscapes and features of movement, the following are distinguished main ecological groups of birds: tree-shrub, terrestrial-tree, terrestrial, near-water, aquatic, hunting on the fly . It should be noted that, as with any other attempts at biological classifications, a fairly large number of species occupies an intermediate position, as it were, and their assignment to one group or another turns out to be rather arbitrary, so the boundaries between the distinguished groups are fuzzy and very conditional.

Arboreal birds. They feed mainly in the crowns of trees and shrubs, in thickets of reeds and other surface plants, where they nest. Nests of varying degrees of complexity, in some species very skillfully woven, warm and durable; some species nest in hollows. The bulk of the species of this group are various families of passerines, orioles, some corvids, titmouses, warblers and many others. This also includes cuckoos and woodpeckers.

Gathering food, birds jump from branch to branch, sometimes helping with flapping wings. Small birds of this group, clinging to the irregularities of the bark with strong fingers with sharp claws, can move along vertical tree trunks (titmouse, nuthatch, pika). In real woodpeckers, the structure of the paws changes: two fingers are directed forward, two - back; all fingers carry powerful, strongly curved sharp claws, reliably clinging to any irregularities in the bark. The tail of strong hard tail feathers is pressed against the trunk and serves as an additional fulcrum. These features allow woodpeckers not only to move along vertical trunks, but also to hammer.

Species of this group feed on various insects and other invertebrates, fruits, berries and seeds, some species eat buds, anthers of flowers, drink nectar. Some of the larger species (corvids, woodpeckers) eat the eggs and chicks of other birds along the way. The shape of the beak and tongue corresponds to the nature of food specialization. In predominantly insectivorous species, an elongated thin beak allows (like with tweezers) to pull prey out of cracks in the bark, from the axils of the leaves. Flycatchers, shrikes and others often lie in wait for prey, sitting quietly on a branch and, taking off, catch an insect flying up close. Such fishing is facilitated by a slightly expanded, flattened beak (flycatcher). Seed-eating species with a strong conical beak are able to split or gnaw dense shells of seeds (gross grosbeak gnaws the bones of cherries and olives). With sharp, strongly intersecting ends of a powerful beak, crossbills deftly open the scales of cones of coniferous trees, taking out seeds; the sharp keratinized end of the tongue cuts off the wings of the seeds.

Woodpeckers with a powerful chisel-shaped beak hollow out bark and wood, opening the passages of insects and their larvae. The long tongue can protrude from the mouth almost to the length of the beak, has spines pointing backwards at the end and is covered with sticky saliva. The woodpecker inserts the tongue into the opened passage and pulls out the prey with the tongue.

Ground-arboreal birds. They are close to the first group in appearance and differ only in that they are equally successful in gathering food both in the crowns and on the ground. Some species build nests in the crowns of trees and shrubs, nest in hollows or nest on the ground.

This includes part of the grouse (grouse, black grouse, hazel grouse), many corvids, thrushes, wrens, starlings, many weavers, finches, buntings. In this group, there are both insectivorous species and omnivores that feed on various invertebrates (and some, such as corvids, and vertebrates), berries, seeds, and vegetative parts of plants. Variations in beak structure correspond to food specialization and are similar to many beak variations in the first group. In the crowns, they jump from branch to branch; on the ground, small species usually move by jumping, and larger ones (grouse, pigeons, parrots) by steps. Species of similar sizes can also differ in gait: for example, thrushes and magpies jump on the ground, and starlings, jackdaws, rooks, and crows walk. Some species, looking for food, rake the top layer of the litter (grouse, blackbirds).

ground birds . A combined group that unites birds with varying degrees of adaptation to a terrestrial lifestyle. Quite a few species retain the appearance of tree-shrub or ground-tree birds, but feed almost exclusively on the ground where they build a nest, however, for rest and in case of danger, they willingly sit on trees and bushes. The terrestrial way of life of these species is provided primarily by behavioral features.

Morphological adaptations are not clearly expressed: the claws are usually slightly less curved, the strong hind limbs of many species allow them to rake the litter in search of food, and some species develop a protective coloration. They walk and run on the ground, not jump. They feed on various insects and other invertebrates, collecting them on the ground and grass (jumping and taking off, some also catch flying insects), eat seeds and berries. These species include some passerines (larks, skates, wagtails, coinage), hoopoe. More distinct adaptations to a terrestrial way of life are characteristic of most chickens. The strong hind limbs of these species are relatively short. Strong short fingers end in blunt claws; the rear (first) toe is usually small or completely reduced. All these ground birds walk and run well. When threatened, they run away or fly away; many species are lurking. The food is predominantly vegetable (vegetative parts of plants, seeds, berries, tubers), but willingly, and sometimes in large quantities, they eat a variety of invertebrates and small lizards. Beaks in all species are strong, of varying length, usually with a pointed end, ensuring the capture of both animal and plant food.

This also includes a number of long-legged species, in appearance resembling near-water birds: some crane-like birds (della Crane) and a secretary bird from diurnal birds of prey. Elongated limbs (especially the tarsus and lower leg) with strong fingers allow these birds to easily run through tall grass, chasing reptiles (lizards, snakes) and large insects. Prey is seized with a beak (cranes) or paws (secretary), then killed with a beak.

Near water birds. They inhabit a variety of damp habitats: overgrown and open banks of water bodies, vast swamps. This includes all ankle-footed, or stork-like, many cranes and charadriiformes.

Most species of this group are characterized by elongated limbs (the tarsus and lower leg are elongated, the lower part of the latter is usually not feathered) with long thin fingers (all four in herons, many shepherds, in the rest the hind toe is small or absent), sometimes connected at the base by a rudimentary swimming membrane . This makes it possible to walk and run on thick grass and in shallow waters, without wetting the plumage and without falling into the marshy muddy ground; some species (small shepherds) easily run on floating aquatic vegetation. As a rule, elongation of the limbs is accompanied by an elongation of the neck: the bird reaches the ground with its beak, only slightly tilting the body. In some species, the body is distinctly laterally compressed, allowing it to slip between the stems in dense thickets. A carelessly built nest is located on the ground, on the creases of reeds, sometimes on trees (herons, storks, ibises).

A very wide range of nutrition in this group is provided by a variety of adaptations. Cranes feed mainly on a variety of plant foods (sprouts, rhizomes and bulbs, young shoots, seeds, berries), along the way they catch (sometimes in large quantities) various invertebrates, amphibians, and lizards. They have a strong elongated beak with a pointed top. Some shepherds also use plant foods; these species have a powerful, relatively short beak. Other species of near-water birds are predominantly carnivorous. Herons and storks consume a variety of animal food (invertebrates, fish, amphibians).

Water birds. A very diverse group of birds that forage by swimming and diving; some feed on land. They inhabit the coasts of the seas and various continental water bodies. This should include grebes, goose, or plate-billed, some shepherds (coots).

In species of this group, the body is usually flattened in the dorsal-ventral direction, which provides greater stability in the water. The plumage is close-fitting, successfully resisting getting wet. Well-developed down and down parts of the contour feather fans improve thermal insulation; this is also facilitated by the strong development of subcutaneous fat deposits. All this allows

swim and dive in cold water for a long time. The hind limbs are relatively short; three fingers pointing forward are connected by a well-developed swimming membrane. Only in grebes, shepherds (coots) and phalaropes do not form a swimming membrane, but each of the three fingers directed forward is equipped with elastic and durable horn rims, which also significantly increase the paddling surface of the paw. Good diving species usually lengthen the sternum and increase the number of ribs (improved protection internal organs from external pressure), the pelvis narrows, in some good divers the legs move back (toadstools).

Water birds usually nest near water bodies, more often on the ground, less often on reeds and trees. Toadstools and coots build floating nests in thickets of emersed vegetation.

The vast majority of species of this group are carnivorous: they feed on fish and various aquatic invertebrates. The wading waders, swimming, peck with a thin tweezer-like beak from the surface of the water and the leaves of surface plants of various small invertebrates. In coots of moderate length, which feed mainly on plant food, a strong beak makes it possible to tear off pieces of plants and seize aquatic animals. In anseriformes, at the end of the expanded beak, a thickened area is well developed - a nail that forms a small hook; horny plates along the edges of the mandible and mandible and on the sides of the fleshy tongue form a filtering apparatus that releases water and silt, but retains food objects in the oral cavity: various small animals and seeds. A strong nail allows you to tear off attached mollusks, parts of plants, etc. In ducks that feed on small animals, especially shovelers, the plates of the filter apparatus are thin, long, and very densely seated. In eiders, feeding mainly on relatively large attached mollusks, and in geese, feeding largely on land on land plants, a strong nail at the end of the beak and rough, more rarely seated plates along its edges make it easy to tear off and crush mollusk shells, pinch fresh greens. In mergansers, these plates turn into teeth, making it easier to hold the fish.

Of the passerine birds, the dipper should be included in this group. They feed on insects, their larvae and other invertebrates, collecting them on the banks and at the bottom of rivers and streams, and retain the typical appearance of passerines (only the plumage is somewhat denser, thick down is developed on the apteria, wings and especially the tail are short). They cannot dive in standing water.

Birds that hunt in flight. A heterogeneous and diverse group, including representatives of many families, close relatives of which are included in previously described groups. More common in open landscapes.

Quite a few species of this group are associated with water. These are birds with long, narrow pointed wings, which have maneuverable flight and are usually capable of prolonged soaring. The fingers are connected by a swimming membrane. Resting on the water or on the shore. The most common method of hunting is flying at different heights above the water and rapidly diving for prey (fish, large invertebrates) seen on the surface or in the upper layer of the water. Due to the energy of diving, birds can dive into the water, grabbing prey with their beak at this moment. This is how gulls, terns and phalaropes hunt. Seagulls often forage by roaming shallow waters and over land.

Many birds of prey (eagles, buzzards, kites) hover high in the air for hours, looking for prey, and then catch up with active flight, dive and grab on the ground (and birds and air). Unlike birds that hunt above water, their wings are somewhat shorter, but noticeably wider, with a blunt top. The prey is seized by powerful paws armed with sharp claws, killed and torn apart by a strong beak with a sharp hook at the end. The osprey and many sea eagles feed mainly on large fish: they soar above water bodies and, diving, grab prey that has risen to the surface with their paws.

Hawks use two methods of hunting: the predator sits in a shelter and suddenly rushes to the approaching victim, or flies more often along the edges, and grabs the frightened prey in a quick throw. They are characterized by relatively short wings and a long tail, making it possible to pursue prey even among the branches. The falcons, which have a swift and maneuverable flight, usually fly around their hunting area and, in a swift throw - dive - grab the encountered victim in the air or on the ground. When looking for prey on the ground, small falcons are capable of hovering in the air for a short time in a fluttering flight. In addition to the main method of hunting - looking out for prey in flight and grabbing it on the fly - many predators catch large insects while roaming the ground, watch for rodent burrows, and drag chicks from nests.

Owls search for their prey in flight or lie in wait while sitting in ambush, and catch in a short throw, grabbing the prey with their paws. Unlike diurnal birds of prey, the main receptor for detecting and seizing prey in owls is not vision, but hearing. Nightjars, like owls, lead the twilight and night image life; they feed mainly on large insects, which they catch in the air or, more rarely, peck on the fly from the ground of branches. They also have a silent, maneuverable flight, plumage is soft, although not to the same extent as that of owls. Long sharp wings, swift maneuverable flight, a small beak, but a very wide section of the mouth, bordered by hard bristles in the corners, are the features of swifts and swallows ecologically close to them. Swallows catch prey only in flight, they do not use other methods of hunting. They feed on small insects. Swallows are able to peck perched insects from branches and leaves on the fly. Only in flight bee-eaters catch large flying insects. Quite long, thinning towards the end, slightly curved down beak, lack of long bristles in the corners
mouth - these features of the bee-eaters are associated with the larger size of their prey compared to the food objects of swallows and swifts.

Such a classification is schematic, but it gives a fairly complete picture of the ecological diversity of the class of birds. They have mastered almost all habitable niches: only sea depths over 50–60 m and the soil thickness remain inaccessible to them (although certain types dig nesting holes).

Within each ecological group, a great diversity is revealed in biotopic confinement, in nesting places and types of nests, in the sets of food used and methods of obtaining them, which correlates with many species features - the proportions of the limbs and the nature of movement, plumage properties, the shape of the beak and tongue, structural details digestive system, the structure of receptors, etc.

Despite the obvious ecological diversity, the general appearance of birds, as well as their morphophysiological features, varies within relatively small limits. The diversity of appearance, size, and morphophysiological features among mammals is much more pronounced. This greater, in comparison with mammals, morphophysiological homogeneity of birds, apparently, is due to the adaptation to flight, which created severe restrictions on variations in the shape of the body and its functioning systems.

Trophic groups of birds

The food spectrum of the bird class is quite wide and includes a variety of plant and animal food. The variety of bird feeds used are usually divided into three groups: polyphages, stenophages, and intermediates.

Polyphages (omnivores) They feed on a wide variety of plant and animal foods. Approximately 1/3 of the families can be attributed to this group, and within each family, omnivorousness is more pronounced in larger species. An example of the most typical polyphagous birds can be large corvids (crows, crows, etc.), large gulls, and cranes.

Stenofagi - species that consume homogeneous food and use the same methods of catching prey. Stenophagy is relatively rare in birds. Swifts and many nightjars, which feed only on flying insects, and swallows, which also catch insects in the air, but can also peck them on the fly from plants, should be attributed to stenophages. This group also includes typical scavengers, as well as species that feed only on large fish, such as the osprey. The stenophages also include crossbills, which feed mainly on the seeds of coniferous trees.

intermediate group makes up the majority of birds that feed on a fairly wide range of foods. Such are many passerines, feeding on both various insects and seeds. Toadstools feed on fish and a variety of large aquatic invertebrates; green parts of plants, berries, seeds and various invertebrates - chickens.

The degree of forage diversity in different types expressed differently. For example, in loons and cormorants, aquatic invertebrates usually make up only a small addition to the fish diet, while in many grebes they may even be the predominant food group.

According to the composition of food in the class of birds, a number of ecological groups are also distinguished. Species that feed primarily on plants are called Phytophages . Geese, swans, some ducks, coots feed mainly on a variety of coastal and aquatic vegetation, eating various aquatic animals along the way. Green parts of plants, berries, seeds, buds, catkins are the basis of the nutrition of galliformes. Mostly seeds feed on many passerines - weavers, finches (especially crossbills, grosbeaks, greenfinches), larks. However, all phytophages, if possible, use a variety of animal food to some extent; their consumption especially increases during the breeding season, since most of these birds feed their chicks mainly with animal feed.

Species that feed primarily on animal food are called Zoophages . Although many of them, albeit to a small extent, eat plant foods. Nearly a third of living bird families are exclusively or predominantly insectivorous. (entomophages ); almost all birds use insects to some extent. Many aquatic and semi-aquatic species feed mainly on fish. (ichthyophages), while eating aquatic invertebrates.

Many birds of prey and owls belong to Myofagam, i.e., they feed mainly on small rodents. Few birds of prey can be named ornithophages : hawks, falcons (peregrine falcon), marsh harrier and some others feed mainly on birds.

To herpetophages (feed on amphibians and reptiles) include the serpent eagle, secretary bird, and some large kingfishers. However, such a division by type of food is largely arbitrary and schematic.

The change in nutrition is characteristic of all groups. Typical ornithophages, for example, catch mammals, lizards and large insects on occasion.

Due to the seasonality of the appearance different types Forage in many species of birds there is a seasonal change in nutrition. The degree of variability is determined by the nature of food specialization.

Quite sharp differences in the quantity and degree of availability of various food groups in different years cause changes in the nutrition spectrum of many birds over the years. There are a lot of known examples of such seasonal, geographical and annual variability in nutrition. It is well expressed even in stenophagous birds. For birds, the opposite feature is also characteristic - when mass, easily accessible food appears, species that usually do not use it begin to feed on it. When puddles and shallow lakes dry up, mollusks, tadpoles and fish fry remaining on the mud are picked up not only by crows and magpies, but also by pigeons, thrushes, shrikes. The number of birds sharply increases in places of mass reproduction of insects or mouse-like rodents, in orchards when cherries ripen, and on plantations when berries ripen. This ability to quickly find accumulations of food and use them determines the participation of birds in limiting and eliminating foci of pests.

Almost all birds have a pronounced age-related change in food to one degree or another. In mature chicks that feed themselves (anseriformes, galliformes, many waders), this age change of food is primarily due to the fact that, due to their small size and poorly developed methods of obtaining food, part of the food obtained by adults is simply inaccessible to chicks. As the chicks grow, these nutritional differences gradually disappear.

Immature chicks eat what their parents bring them. In many species, the age-related variability of nutrition is well expressed, due to the selective delivery of food by adult birds, which, undoubtedly, significantly accelerates the growth and increases the survival of chicks. So, big tits They try to wear spiders to newly hatched chicks, and sometimes only their “contents” are squeezed into the open beak of the chick, and the “shell” is swallowed by themselves. After two or three days, the parents begin to feed the chicks with small larvae, caterpillars, butterflies with torn wings, aphids and other soft insects, and the already grown feathering chicks are often fed with beetles. Adult birds themselves eat at this time any insects available to them. Other passeriformes do the same.

Ways to get food

The methods of obtaining food from birds are not very diverse. The vast majority of species take prey with their beak. In accordance with food specialization, the shape and relative size of the beak vary widely. The straight or curved, very long and thin beaks of waders and some passerines allow them to forage from moist soil or narrow and deep shelters. The sharply conical, powerful at the base beaks of many granivorous birds facilitate the grasping and chewing of seeds. Powerful beaks of birds of prey, owls, and partly shrikes, with a sharp “hook” on the upper beak of varying length, help to hold and tear food; beaks with numerous plates along the edges, which allow filtering small prey, are characteristic of anseriformes. Swifts, nightjars and swallows have small beaks with a very large mouth slit and bristles in its corners, which form a kind of "net" that makes it easier to catch small flying insects.

No less diverse is the form of the tongue, which in many birds not only helps in swallowing the food bolus, but also participates in grasping and holding the prey. Thus, the tongue of woodpeckers, which is strongly retractable, usually equipped with sharp spikes at the end, allows you to find the larva in the hollowed out passage and pull it out. The fleshy, movable tongue of many seed-eating passerines, along with ridges on the palate, makes it convenient to place a seed or nut on the edge of the beak for cracking the shell. In birds that fish and various aquatic invertebrates, there are many sharp spines on the tongue directed towards the pharynx, which facilitate the holding and swallowing of prey (toadstools, mergansers). the fleshy and mobile tongue of anseriformes, bordered by plates, is involved in filtering food.

Diurnal predators and owls grab prey, especially large ones, with their paws. Depending on food specialization, I vary the shape and length of the claws, the mobility of the fingers, the nature of the horny cover on the soles of the fingers (for example, the development of sharp horny spines in the osprey). Some birds, when pecking prey, support it with their paws (tits, some corvids). Nutcrackers are nuts, and woodpeckers - nuts and cones are thrust into cracks and, having strengthened them, thus peck. Shrikes impale large prey on dry sharp knots, and then peck and tear.

Sometimes crows and large gulls, having grabbed hard prey (toothless, crabs, etc.), take off and then throw the prey to the ground; this technique is repeated many times until the shell or shell cracks. Perhaps some birds of prey with turtles (vulture) or with large bones (bearded vulture) do this. The use of a woodpecker as a “tool” by birds is also described, holding a cactus needle or a dry twig in its beak at one end, picking it in cracks in the bark, driving the insect out and then grabbing it with its beak. Flying from tree to tree, the finch sometimes drags a thorn along with it.

The vast class of Birds is represented by thousands of species that have adapted to different conditions. environment. Birds mastered forests, meadows, mountains, swamps, learned to build complex nests and get various food. Depending on the place of residence and behavior, ecological groups of birds are distinguished.

By habitat

Birds belonging to different families and species, under the influence of the environment, have developed similar signs. The table describes the features of ecological groups by habitat.

Rice. 1. Water-air birds.

Table "Ecological groups of birds"

*Group*	*Description*	*Morphology*	*Food*
Forest - owl, woodpecker, capercaillie, thrush, cuckoo	Carnivorous, insectivorous, herbivorous, omnivorous birds. They live in all tiers of the forest - on trees, shrubs, in herbs.	Small body size; Short wide wings; A long tail; Short sharp beak; tenacious paws	Seeds, berries, nuts, cones, caterpillars, small rodents, lizards
open air spaces- swallow, swift, flycatcher	Active in the air. They eat on the fly. Nest in the forest, parks, in the city	small body; Short paws; Developed pectoral muscles; Elongated wings and tail; Small, wide-opening beak	Insects
Waterfowl - ducks, swans, geese	Feeding and nesting is associated with fresh water - rivers, lakes, ponds. They nest on dry land. Good diving and swimming	Wide body with tight plumage; Widely spaced legs; webbed feet; Abundant fluff; Thick subcutaneous fat; The coccygeal glands abundantly secrete a water-repellent secret; Flat beak with filtering apparatus (transverse plates)	Worms, molluscs, algae, crustaceans
Water-air - terns, gulls, cormorant, great grebe, pelican, albatross	Associated with water, but spend most of their lives in the air. They fly well. They can be on the waves, but swim poorly. Dive from the air	Wide wingspan; Dense streamlined body; Short or missing membranes; Powerful elongated beak, sometimes bent down	Fish, crustaceans, crabs, shellfish
Steppe and desert - ostriches, demoiselle crane, bustard	Flying and non-flying birds. They run fast, have excellent eyesight and hearing. Flying birds travel long distances. They nest on the ground in primitive nests. Some species are scavengers and predators	camouflage coloring; Strong long legs; Stretched neck; powerful beak	omnivores
Birds of swamps and coastal areas - stork, heron, sandpiper, flamingo	They feed on swampy areas. They fly well. They nest on dry land.	The body is dense, shifted down; Long legs without webs; Elongated sharp beak or filter beak; high neck	Amphibians, crustaceans, fish
Meadow and field - lapwing, wagtail, corncrake, quail, dubrovnik, field lark, hawk, meadow harrier	Small or medium birds. They nest on the ground. There are birds of prey with a curved beak, excellent eyesight, fast flight	small head; Large elongated body; Short and wide wings; Elongated and short beak; camouflage coloring	Insects, lizards, small rodents, seeds, berries

Rice. 2. Corncrake.

Penguins are active underwater and stand out in a separate group of divers. They have an elongated body with a center of gravity shifted down, a sharp beak. They don't know how to fly. They feed on fish.

By place of nesting

There are five groups:

crown-nested - on trees (oriole);
shrubby - on shrubs (robin);
ground - on the ground (oatmeal);
hollow-nested - in hollows (pika);
norniki - underground (shore swallows).

Rice. 3. Nests of sand martins.

Some species (guillemot, nightjar, owl) lay their eggs on bare rocks or in hollows without building nests.

What have we learned?

From the Biology class article 7, we learned about the main ecological groups by habitat and nesting. Groups of birds, depending on habitat conditions, have similar signs that help them survive (camouflage in the grass, water-repellent lubricant in water, excellent vision in open spaces).

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Ecological groups of birds distinguished on the following grounds:

according to the nature of nutrition
by habitat,
according to the nature of nesting.

By habitat There are four groups of birds:

Forest birds differ from other groups in that they have rather small legs, as well as a medium-sized head. Their necks are not visible, their eyes are on the sides.
Birds of the coasts of reservoirs and swamps have a very long neck and long legs. They need them in order to get food in the swamps.
Birds of open spaces are adapted for migration therefore they have very strong wings. Their bones weigh less than the bones of other types of birds.
Waterfowl that live near water bodies or in water bodies. These birds are distinguished by a fairly powerful beak, which helps them eat fish.

Ecological groups of birds nesting sites:

Crown nesting birds build their nests, as the name implies, in the crown of trees (orioles, glare).
Bush birds place their nests near or in the bushes themselves (wren, robin).
Ground-nesting ones decide to place their nest right on the ground (larks, pipits, buntings, sandpipers).
Hollow nesting birds live right in hollows (woodpeckers, tits, pikas, flycatchers).
A group of birds, norniks (shore swallows, bee-eaters, kingfishers), live in burrows underground.

Ecological groups of birds by type of food:

Insectivorous birds (tits or pikas) have thin, pointed beaks, thanks to which they can pull their prey from leaves or take it out of thin cracks.
Herbivorous birds, including granivorous (greenfinches) have a powerful beak, thanks to which they can break through the dense shells of fruits. And the sharp ends of the beak help me to pull out the seeds from the cones of various trees.
Birds of prey (eagle) feed on various small birds. They have strong legs with powerful claws, thanks to which they grab prey.
Omnivorous birds (magpies) have a cone-shaped beak that helps them eat various types of food.

Birds open spaces there are two directions in device development. Some birds are adapted to move on the ground in search of food. Fleeing from enemies, they almost do not use their wings, but quickly run away. Others, on the contrary, mainly use their wings when moving and hardly use their legs. First group of birds lost the ability to fly and they had wing reduction. At the same time they have strong legs developed, fingers shortened and back toe disappeared. All these signs are useful for fast running. An example of birds that have adapted to running can be different kinds ostriches, chickens, etc.

The second group of birds(diurnal predators, owls, etc.) has improved wings, and their legs can retain normal development or even be reduced to a certain extent.

birds of the forest use all horizons of woody vegetation both in relation to shelter for the nest and in relation to food. The legs of most birds, in connection with the arboreal way of life, are arranged in such a way that free fingers are opposed to each other. This gives them the ability to cover branches from two sides. A number of bird species have adapted climb vertically growing trunks trees (nuthatchets, pikas and woodpeckers). All these birds fingernails are very sharp and strongly curved. Woodpeckers and pikas also use their tail when climbing., which serves partly as a support, and partly for balance during the period of reclining the front of the body. Finches, tits and many other species of birds have adapted to climb branches and hang from below. Climbing trees, birds get their own food. A smaller part finds food for itself using wings. Thus, the birds of the forest also have an adaptation in two directions - in the development of the legs and in the development of the wings.

Among birds of prey distinguish:

a detachment of diurnal birds of prey that hunt during the day,
a group of owls hunting at night.

All of these birds have powerful legs, which are armed with large, sharp and strong claws, and hooked beak.

Diurnal Birds of Prey settle in the steppes, deserts, forests, on the plains, in the mountains. They do not eat plant foods at all. They feed on animals, birds, fish and insects. Some types of predators catch live prey (falcons, hawks, eagles, buzzards, etc.), while others eat only dead animals (vultures, vultures, vultures).

Ecological features of swamps and coasts of small reservoirs very similar. Therefore, some species of birds are common both for the shores of water bodies and for swamps.

When obtaining food, some marsh birds use during movement mainly feet, other - wings.

In the first group of birds, the legs are characterized by a number of features:

great length,
deprivation of plumage at the ankle joint (ankles),
a considerable length of the front toes, often connected by membranes.

All these are adaptations for living in places with viscous soil and the presence of shallow waters. Sandpipers, herons, cranes, storks, ducks, diurnal predators, gulls, etc. live in swamps and on the coasts of water bodies.

Birds of the steppes and deserts. Due to the fact that it is difficult for birds to hide in open spaces, in the conditions of steppes and deserts they have formed in the course of evolution long legs and neck. Thanks to this adaptation, birds can look far into the area and see the approach of various predators. Birds of the steppes and deserts walk a lot in search of food among the vegetation, so their legs, as a rule, are well developed. Fleeing from danger, some birds of the steppes and deserts do not fly away, but run away.

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