Where the heal is gray. Gray Heron. Lifestyle and habitat with gray heron. Lifestyle and social organization

Gray Heron, or chapel, or tsapura, or chepuror, or bushla (Constand.) - Ardea Cinerea.


Appearance. Gray large bird (up to 90 cm in height) with white belly and neck. The neck in the flight S-shaped is curved.
Short shrill screaming cry - "Count" and a sharp "crane".
Habitat. Prefers small reservoirs on the plains.
Food. Its food (fish, frogs) mines on the go or standing, rapidly grabbing the beak.
Nest location. In places where, along with forest plantings, there are extensive open areas and fodder reservoirs in the form of lakes, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, usually colonies with several nests to hundreds, however, can be selected in separate pairs.
The location of the nest. The nest has on large trees, at a considerable height (16-26 m and more from the Earth).
Construction material nest. The nest is made of thin dry wood rods and branches.
Shape and size of the socket. A freshly built nest, like other Herkel, has the form of an inverted cone, with translucent walls, through which eggs are clearly visible. In large colonies, the nests are usually built carelessly, can be relatively small and flat tray. Single nests, on the contrary, are built better. The nest can be used for several years and applied annually. Such a building turns out to be on the foundation and reaches more than a meter in the diameter. The dimensions of the sockets are quite different: the diameter of the freshly-contained socket is 500-1100 mm (heavily cleaned with chicks), the height of the socket is 600 mm. Later it becomes flattened and low.
Facial facilities. The masonry of 3-7, more often than 4-5 eggs greenish blue color, without speckle, often with white lime strokes. Egg shape either correct egg-shaped or equally pointed at both ends. Egg dimensions: (55-60) x (41-46) mm.
Duration of nesting. The arrival begins with the second half of March and lasts until mid-May. Shortly after the arrival of birds begin to nesting. In May, the eggs are laid out. Occupation begins after laying the first egg and lasts 26-27 days. In mid-July, flight chicks appear. However, the periods of breeding in different pairs even in one colony can vary greatly (by 30-40 and even 60 days). After departure, young birds continue to hold on to families for some time. Before the departure, which takes place in September, the gray herons widespread.
Spread. In essence, throughout Russia is in the European part and in Western Siberia, penetrating to the north to 60 ° of northern latitude, and then east even to 63 ° (Yakutia). Outside the limits of the country, it nests in Western Europe, India and almost in all Africa. In addition, it is found in Japan and China.
Wintering. Most birds fly away to winter in the Mediterranean.
Economic meaning. In the Middle Ages, gray heron was considered the most interesting game for a falcon hunting, therefore colony-herds were great value. There were cases when the feudalles were involved in an armed conflict due to the block of land, on which the Colony of Herlin was located.

Description Buturlin . Gray Heron is known better than other Hersel, primarily due to its extremely widespread.
This is the most large Of all our Herkel, having a total length of up to 105-115 centimeters and a wing of up to 48 centimeters; A long and sharp beak reaches 13.5 centimeters. A large old heron weighs up to 2 kilograms. This figure will seem reduced to everyone who sees the heron in the wild, since the bird from afar looks very large. This is explained by the fact that Heron has a very loose plumage, which creates a deceptive impression of bird sizes; The most body is small and proud. Plumage Heads from above in the middle white, on the sides wide black stripes; An extended crest on the head, and the flying and part of the crumbling, the very end of the tail, stains along the bottom side of the neck and wide bands on the sides of the body. Black. The bottom side of the neck and the middle of the bottom of the body is white. The rest of the plumage has a gray color very pleasant for the eye of a soft ash tone. Features of the lower part of the neck are elongated and pointed and hang down by brakes. Bearing yellow, legs reddish-brown; Radugina Eyes Yellow and dramatically stands out, why the bird look seems somewhat strange, as if wild.
Gray Heron distributed Very wide, but it is far from everywhere and strictly adheres to water replete places. For it, it is necessary, if possible, extensive swamps, rivers with broad floodplains, lakes and thickets of the root. The greater the number of reservoirs than they are extensive and richer by the reeds of the reed, cane, sitney and other water plants and the less populated place by a person, the more often the Heron is found. She is very willing to hold in the delta of large rivers with their impassable cane thickets. However, the numerous gray heron does not happen anywhere.
Giving explicit preference Deaf places, gray heron at the same time, thanks to its exceptional caution, it gets along and in densely populated areas, please contact relatively small ponds, swamps and even wet meadows. It is true, now rarely - you can meet in the nearest surroundings of Moscow.
The attachment of the heron to water is mainly due to its character nutrition. The main food of the Heron is the most diverse small fish, as well as frogs. At case it uses the opportunity to catch a triton, a small snake (the burdens usually hold onto the water), a mouse or chick or chick or to launch the eggs of water bird.
Heron in its own supids The bird is silent and unsubstantia and usually leads secretly, single lifestyle. She is always hunting alone, and if there are several birds at once on a reservoir, they usually hold far from each other. This also applies to married couples, and only broods form closer groups, and only until the chicks become completely independent.
At the feeder, the Heron usually flies at twilight, feeds all night and sometimes delayed for a long time and in the morning. In localities where there are not a lot of people, the bird can more often see the day; In crowded places, on the contrary, it leads a strictly nightlife. Sometimes people are not suspected of the presence of heron, and only a hoarse crickeling cry, spending at night in the embroidery, and characteristic trail on the mud point to the observation person to the presence of a bird. During the feeding of chicks, this measured lifestyle is disturbed and the Herons are forced to hunt more and during the daytime.
The first herles arrive Spring is very early. Still around lies the run, and only someone appear protaly; The lakes are still under the ice or just begin to open off the shores, at night there are noticeable frosts, and herons have already appeared.
Herons are usually flying alone, at night, relatively low above the ground, and at that time they often heard in the night sky their characteristic cry. Later, during the gross span, in the most height of the spring movement, the spanic hernel can sometimes meet in the afternoon, and at almost small groups, up to 10 pieces.
Shortly after the arrival of the birds are broken into the pairs and proceed to their nest Affairs. This side of the life of a gray heron represents a lot of curious, as a smart bird knows how to adapt to the most diverse setting.
In the north, the Heron is usually nesting with separate couples and hide their nest, but south, and even on the latitude of Moscow, they sometimes form quite extensive colonial nestings.
In forest places, the Heron suits nests on large trees, at an altitude of 15-30 meters. In the Volga Delta, these birds nest sometimes at low wizards and in reeds.
Nest Herons represents a rather large structure and has a flat form. At the base, it is thick brushes, thin twigs are closer to the trailer. The most tray is lined with moss or other soft materials; But often the dill is absent, and the eggs are put right on the rod. Old nests, which are used for a number of years, from permanent add-ons and finishes year from year all increase and have large dimensions, more massive and take the form of a cone. In large colonies, you can find the nests of different types and, in addition, empty and dilapidated.
Such colonies and individual nests are not always located in close proximity to the water. In the choice of place for the nest, a cautious bird takes care mainly about the safety of his offspring and therefore sometimes it is forced to wear food chicks for several kilometers.
In reeds, each nest presents a bunch of reeds, folded quite casually and rudely. The height of such a heap that happens a round or polygonal shape can reach up to 150 centimeters, with a diameter at the top of about 50-60 centimeters and with an in-depth tray, devoid of caustic. The skelts are usually located at a distance of several steps from each other. Among such a colony willingly nest quacks and some other types of water birds.
Eggs of Greenish-Blue Heron, they are elongated, with a smooth shell. The length of them is about 58-60 millimeters, width 40-44 millimeters.
Paths Very voracious and require a lot of food, which adults pull them with great effort. Young, as reported by some observers, are well recognized by their parents: if it is shown that flying to the colony of the Heron, it is the loudest of all of her chicks. They grow pretty quickly and soon begin to learn to use their wings.
Fly away The Heron is usually a single one, only sometimes forming scattered small flocks in which birds fly in disarray, far from the other and only from time to time. Sometimes gray herons on arrival joined the packs of KVAKV. The arrival goes at night, and with the bird glows usually stop at the day. The HSPs are relatively rarely flying in the afternoon and in these cases are built by the oblique line. Such tools usually consist of no more than a dozen birds.

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2. Coverage: Gerlev (Ardeae)

The ardamy ardea (ardeae) disintegrates real pinnel (Ardeidae) and family hallo-head pin (Scopidae).

Family herkel (Ardeidae) Very numerously and consists of 100 species. All herons have a thin body, strongly compressed from the sides; The neck is thin and long; The head is small, narrow and flat; The beak is a little longer than the head, it is compressed from the sides, a narrow drill and a quille; The edges of the jaws are drawn and very sharp; Near the peaks of the beak served. Middle embroidered legs, laps with long fingers. Wings are long and wide, but at the ends dull; The tail consisting of 10 or 12 steering feathers is short and rounded. The plumage is plentiful, soft, loose, and on the pests, on the back and on the top of the chest, often extended and flushing. The males and females differ from each other of various sizes.

Herons inhabit all parts of the world, all latles and all countries, with the exception of the countries of the Far North. Different species are kept in various locations-near the sea, in rivers and swamps, as well as in open areas and in forest bowls. These birds are pretty movable, but clumsy. Gait them calm, slow and careful; Flight them is monotonous and sluggish, but more beautiful than other aist-like birds; They do not pull the neck, but beautifully bend it over his back. Herons are agile with the reeds and in the branches of trees; They know how to swim, but when swimming is very funny. Creek Herlin represents a loud, unpleasant and far-spreading roar. From the external feelings of Herkel, vision is most developed. They are afraid of larger animals, but they show bloodthirst for smallness and pursue them.

Food large herons fish, and small insects; However, if you do not "neglect any animals, if only mining was able to die. They devour small mammals, young helpless birds, various amphibians (except for the toad), mollusks, worms and, apparently, crayfish. Prey they are tracking, silently Stepping on the water and pulling the neck; noticing the prey, the herons with a lightning speed stretch the neck, and the beak, as an abandoned spear, is sacrificed. The same way is protected; Even a person is dangerous: usually, it's a cowardly running, in a hopeless position, it is fiercely , Based on the eye.

Herons live in pairs. In the marriage period, they arrange special flights corresponding to the shocking of other birds; During these flights, they are very quickly worn in Yozdukh, making zigzags and kwyrtsya like turmans. The nests are arranged by societies on trees or in reeds on the broken stems. Building a nest of the female, and the male pulls the bunches and branches for the construction, and we carry them in the beak not across, but along. The masonry consists of blue-green eggs from 3 to 6 pieces. Only the female rises, and the male wears her food. Parents after departure chicks feed them for some time, and then throw.

Gray Heron (Ardea Cinerea) Wears the following names - Chepura Gray and Bushla; She is the most famous representative of the kind daily hernel (Ardea) from the family of real pin. The plumage from these hergs on the head and on the forehead is white, on the neck is grayish-white, on the back the ash-gray with white stripes, on the sides of the lower side of the body-black; stripes starting over their eyes and going to the back of the neck, - black; Three long fifteers on the head, a triple spin of spots on the front of the neck and large flying feathers, too, black; Flying feathers shoulder and steering feathers tail-gray. Golden eyes are yellow; Naked places on the face of green-yellow; beak straw yellow color; The legs are drowato-black. The length of the bird is 1 meter and 1 meter of 6 centimeters, scope of Kursiev - 1 meter 70 centimeters and 1 meter 80 centimeters.

Gray Heron meets in almost all countries of the old light from the Atlantic Ocean to Korea and Japan inclusive; In the south, she meets up to South Africa and Madagascar, as well as to South Asia; Sometimes these herons fly to the new light: in the north in South Greenland, and in the south to Australia. In the north, this bird is migratory, in the south - nomadic.

In Western Europe and within the USSR, gray Heron appears in March or early April, nests in trees, as well as in the thickets of reed and in the reeds. The nests folds out of the branches and branches. The masonry consists of 5 or 6 green eggs with a sturdy and smooth shell. Three weeks after surgery, disgusting, as we have already mentioned above, chicks, continuously requiring food. The nests and the surroundings of the nesting, trees and the earth are becoming white from the litter of these birds, which, together with the roting residues, infects the air in disseminate stuff. After the departure of chicks, these smeliest colonies are empty, and in September or early October, gray herons leave our country and, not, go on to the extreme south of Europe, and then fly to Africa.

The enemies of the Herlin are crows and crows, which rob their nests; At the old pin, falcons, big owls and some eagles are attacked. Gray herons are well tolerated by unbearable, they are easily fed by fish, frogs and mice, but they can not be kept with poultry, as they catch and swallow ducklings and chickens; They manage to catch even Vorobyev.

A close relative of the gray heron is redhead heron (Ardea Purpurea), called red chipour or clay chugura. The upper part of the head and the khokhol in this heron, as well as the bands coming from the beak to the backbone, and the strips on both sides of the neck-black color; Boca heads and necks, furious shoulder feathers and shins of red-brown; chin and throat white; The festered front of the neck of the neck is grayish-white with a pink rose and black trunks; The back side of the neck and the prospeas of ash-gray; The remaining parts of the upper side of the body of a dark gray-brown color with greenish glitter; crumbling feathers wing lighter; Boca chest, abdomen and legs of dark purple-red-brown color; The rest of the lower side of the cinema is black; Black feathers; crumbling feathers on the edge of the wing and lower crumbling feathers of a rust-brown wing; Steering feathers are grayish brown. Orange eyes yellow; beak greenish yellow-wax; Legs of reddish-yellow color, plus and paws of their blacknate-brown. The length of the bird is an average of 90 centimeters, the scope of the wings - 1 meter of 30 centimeters.

The distribution area covers all Western Europe, most of the Central and South Asia and Africa. Within the USSR, this Heron is a nesting bird around the Black and Caspian seas and mid-Asian lakes. In the south of the USSR, red-haples or nonsense nest from the Black Sea to the Kiev and Kharkov province inclusive. The lifestyle is the same as the gray heron.

Very beautiful bird is white heron or chepura. (Herodias Alba). The plumage of its dazzling pure and white color; Yellow eyes; beak dark yellow; Naked skin of the cheeks is greenish yellow; Feet dark gray. Length - 1 meter 4 centimeters, scope of wings-1 meter 90 centimeters.

This beautiful heron lives in the USSR in the same place, where and the Red Heron, but especially in large quantities it is found at the low-voltage Volga and on the shores of the Caspian Sea. In Western Europe, white herons nest in Danube lowlands, but especially many of them in Greece, Italy and Spain; In huge quantities they are found in Africa.

White herons are more careful than their relatives, and keep it possible further from human settlements. White herons show less malice and bloodthornity than gray and red; They are in captivity easily tame and tied to the educator. In zoological gardens, under good conditions, multiply and remove a strong and healthy generation. These beautiful birds in many places are predatory exterminated, in view of which in the USSR they are protected by law.

Chepura-need or small white heron (Garzetta Garzetta) also has a pure-white plumage, and during the reproduction of the male, two long pen grows on the painshche; On her chest and on her back, she has long hairy feathers. The eyes are bright yellow; beak black; Foot black with green-yellow articulations. Length - 62 centimeters, scope of wings - 1 meter 10 centimeters.

Chepura-need is more common and is a more ordinary bird than a white heron. The region of distribution extends further to the East than a large white heron, namely to Japan, Formos and Filipino Islands. Within the USSR, it is found there, where and a big white Heron, but especially a lot of this bird on the lowlands of the Volga. In Western Europe, Chepura-need is especially found in large quantities on the lowlands of the Danube, and in Africa-on the lowlands of the Nile.

Lifestyle is the same as other anchor. The food is mainly small fish. Laying of 4 or 5 light greenish eggs occurs in May and June.

As if the transitional link between day and night is rather elegant yellow heron or chepura. (Ardela Ralloides or Comata), also known as Cosmata Chepura. Her distinctive features are followed. Relatively thick beaks and a gloom-similar to the mane, which, starting on the theme, continues to the landing. Feathers forming a chokol, rust-yellowish-white color with black and brown kimes; Boca head and neck of light rusty yellow color; Hair-shaped shoulder feathers reddish-straw; All other parts are white. Eyes light yellow; beak on the skate and on top black; Legs greenish yellow. The length of the bird reaches 50 centimeters, the scope of the wings-80 centimeters.

A yellow heron is common throughout the south of Western Europe and throughout Africa. In the USSR, it is found off the coast of the Caspian Sea, especially in the mouth of the Volga and in the Caucasus. These Herons eat small fish, young frogs and water insects. The laying of it consists of 4 or 5 green eggs. Sitting and feeding occurs just like other herls.

Rank small herchel or drink (Ardetta) has the following signs: a slight amount of poultry; Slim beak; Short plus, fired to the heel joint; relatively long wings; A short weakly developed tail and not a particularly rich plumage.

From this kind we have small drink or bugaychik (Ardetta minuta), also known as the names: Heron-Wolf and Chepura-stick. The plumage of this heron on the head, silence, back and shoulders of shiny black and greenish color; On the upper side of the wings and on the bottom side of the body it is rusty yellow; on the sides of the body and on the chest - in black spots; Fly and tail feathers black. Yellow eyes; The beak is pale yellow, the horse is brown; Feet green yellow. The length of the bird reaches 40 centimeters, the scope of the wings - 57 centimeters.

A small heron or a lotway is found throughout Europe and Western Asia, south of 60 degrees of northern latitude and west of 80 degrees of Eastern longitude, as a nesting or span bird. She winter in Africa. We, in the USSR, small drank are found in the European Union union from the Black Sea to Novgorod. Province inclusive and in Western Siberia. This will make it in the swampy locations, shrub, reed and cane. In the afternoon, a small drink sits in the reeds or on the tree branch so unnoticed and still that the unfair man, even seeing her, will not think that this is a bird, but will take for a bitter, a bodie and the like. This fitness to the surrounding environment and various artificial poses, in which a lot can stay motionless to stay very long, perfectly masked the bird. Throw this quickly running; Quickly and deftly flies, as well as perfectly and quickly climbs on the stems of the root, causing astounding with its agility. From the reel, where it is almost impossible to find it, and it is impossible to drive out, it crashes only at night for hunting. She catches small fish, small amphibians, worms and insects. Her hunt reaches the greatest revival during the evening and morning twilight.

Screaming usually males during the reproduction period, making a deaf bass sound, which sounds like a syllable "FUIB" and reminds the thick drink of the gods. The nests of these hergs or drink are built from a dry cantham, cane leaves and a sitney and lined with a sick and grass; Usually they are built on the pile of reed or on the broken stems of the cane, less often on the ground and even less often on the water.

As well as in early June, the masonry begins, which consists of 5 or 6 white eggs with a bluish-green tint. The chicks are covered with a rusty yellow down and even before departure from the nest, in case of danger, caress on the stems of the root, hiding well in it.

Malaya Night or Bugica carries well, but never is treated.

Big or bull (Botaurus Stellaris) is also known as the names: Guclitez, Bukhalitsa, Buku and Water Bull. This bird is dense physique; her neck is thick and long; The beak is narrow and high; Legs are funeral before the heel and have long fingers; wings wide; Tail of ten steering feathers; The plumage is thick with elongated feathers on the neck. Her head is black; The back side of the neck is painted in yellow and black colors; The rest of the rusty-yellow in black and brown and rust-brown longitudinal and transverse stains, bandagles and lines forming three longitudinal stripes on the front side of the neck. Flies of adhesive color with rusty dressing; Red walled feathers, rusty yellow in a shallow brown-black pendine. The eyes are bright yellow; The top of the beak brown hornble, lower-greenish; Legs of light juicy green, yellowish on the articulations. Bird's length - 72 centimeters, scope of wings - 1 meter 26 centimeters.

This will be found in Western Europe, especially in the Netherlands and in the lowlands of the Danube: in Asia it meets everywhere to Japan and Western India. We, in the USSR, a big focus is an ordinary bird in the lowlands of the Volga and in the Southern and Medium European provinces, as well as in Central Asia and Siberia. For the winter of some countries, a big throw or Bugai flies to North Africa.

In our countries, Bugai or a big drink appears at the end of March or in early April; Flying south in September or October, but with long warm weather remains longer.

A peculiar ability to take various poses big will be superior to the ability of a small pose. To fool her enemy having a stacking on his heels and pulls up a torso, neck, head and beak in one line, slightly bevented to the side, and becomes like more on an old pointed stake or on a dead beam of the reed (see drawing, where There are two such poses two dropped) than on some bird. In addition to this protective posture, there are other, depending on the circumstances and conditions of the terrain, but it is always so good that disappears in the eyes of the hunter, as if under the fairy-tale invisible hat. Gait has a big drank slow, careful and sluggish; Flying soft, silent, slow and awkward look. Lifting up, make a lot of circles, but always waves wings and never soars; Also, she descends to the most tops. The cry looks like a carcass, and only during the breeding period of the male, lowering the beak into the water, makes a very loud soapment, which is heard at night a kilometer for two and produces a terrible impression, reminding the deaf roar of the bull; This roar is explained by the name of the reciprocal bull.

The nests are largely filming the same as small, on the bent of the root, on the island of the root and less often on the water. The masonry occurs in May and consists of 3-5 sometimes 6 eggs dull olive-brown. Situation lasts three weeks. In the nest of chicks remain until they learn to fly, but if they are threatened with danger, they are chosen from the nest earlier and they are saved, climb up and down the reed.

In Greece, and in general, in the south of Europe, a big one is pursued because of her meat, which is eaten quite eagerly, despite the taste of Bervan.

Night Heron, Quakva or kvak (NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX) differs from other herkels with dense build, short, thick, very wide at the base and curved in the skiing of the beak, strong high-size legs, very wide hoist feathers and rich plumage; On her head, she has three filamentary adorned feather.

The plumage is painted like this: the top of the head, the seasures, the upper part and shoulders are greenish-black; the rest of the upper side of the body and the side of the neck of the ash color; Lower side of the body of pale straw yellow color; Three long adorn white white feather. Eyes of magnificent purple-red color; The beak is black, at the base is yellow; naked place on the head is green; Feet green yellow. The length of the bird is 50 centimeters, the scope of the wings - 1 meter of 8 centimeters.

Night heron is widespread. She is found in Western Europe, especially in the lowlands of the Danube and in Holland, as well as in Palestine, Central Asia, China, Japan, India and the Stern Islands; It is found in most of America and in winter it is in all of Africa. Within the USSR, the night heron or quax nests in the southern European provinces, especially on the shores of the Black and Caspian Seas, where it is found in huge quantities, as well as in the Aral Caspian Plain and South-Western Siberia. Quáquah always keep in lowlands rich in water, where there are certainly trees, for these herons rest and come with nests on the trees. Sometimes nights and nests on trees are very far from the place of hunting, but it does not interfere with the quacaws, as they easily make big flights. All day, these birds sleep and only with the onset of full twilight begin to scream and hunt.

Walk quacks with small steps; When flying, they do frequent, completely silent flaws with wings. Fly at night disorderly flocks and hunt swamps. Fish they catch the same way as day herons. The cry looks like a roron carcass, which gave rise to the name of this hercons in the night ravener, what is her name in Germany.

The masonry occurs in May, June and July and consists of 4 or 5 eggs of pale bluish-green. Interestingly, during the withdrawal of chicks, the night heron crashes on fishing not only at night, but also during the day, for which she forces her cry of scary chickly chicks.

The universities will be transferred to the university, but in zoological gardens they do not seek special interest, as they sleep all day.

In the second family of angel known under the name hammerheads (Scopidae), is as the sole special kind representative (Scopus) mallotrav or shadowing bird (Scopus Umbretta); The last name for this hammer-heading pin is assigned to its dark color.

Moloto chapters or shadow birds have a dense rolling body; their head is relatively large; the beak is long, strongly compressed from the sides, straight; The legs of the middle length, connecting the fingers of the membrane deeply carved; Wings are very broad and rounded; tail of 12 steering feathers; The plumage is thick; On the back of a big khokhol.

The color of these birds is almost evenly buoyed, the shade of Umbra; on the bottom side of the body a little lighter; Flying feathers Darker back feather; Tail feathers with wide purple-brown stripes at the ends and narrow irregular strips at the base. The eyes are dark brown; beak black; Feet black and brown or black. The bird's length reaches 56 centimeters, the scope of the wings - 1 meter 4 centimeters. The male and female in appearance are exactly the same.

These birds are found in all areas of Africa, Madagascar and in South Arabia. Typically, the shadowing bird draws the neck so that her khokhol is pressed against the back; It makes the impression that the head is attached directly to the shoulders. In the calm state, the shadow birds lowered and raise the Khokhol, but more often stand motionless for several minutes in one place. The gait of these birds is light and elegant, the flight is similar to the flight of a stork. Although the shadow birds are daily, but they show the greatest revival and activity during the evening and morning twilight.

Shadow birds feed fish, molluscs, crustaceans, frogs, small snakes, as well as worms and insect larvae. Shadow birds live alone, connecting into couples only in the married period.

This bird in this bird is its huge nest depicting, so to speak, a whole apartment with all amenities. The nests of hammer-headed Herons arrange more part on the most developmental branches or mimosis branches, low above the ground; But there are nests and on high bushes and on clothish high rocks.

These nests are very skillfully made of rods, herbs, reeds and clay; The strength of their construction is such that the nest withstands the severity of an adult who stuck on it. This dome-shaped building has up to 2 meters in the diameter and the same in height. The inlet in the nest round and leads the first room of the nest, called "front"; For the "front" follows the "living room" and for her the third and last room "bedroom". The rear room lies above than two fronts, so that it can freely flush water in there; However, the nest is so well built that even strong tropical showers do not spoil it, and if damage occurs, the birds immediately repair their home.

Bedroom in this bird house is the most spacious room and chicks are sitting in it, which is made both parents in turn. The masonry consists of 3 or 5 white eggs, which lie on the soft litter of cane and other plants. The average room of the nest is the "living room" - the warehouse of all kinds of production, harvested in the future. In the "front" one of the spouses, one of the spouses, and immediately gives a signal to escape at all danger.

The appearance and behavior. Large Heron, body length 90-98 cm, weight 1.1-2.3 kg, wings span 175-195 cm. Coloring as a whole gray, sometimes there are very bright individuals. In adult birds in the marriage on the head, the elongated feathers are noticeable at the bottom of the neck. A sedentary bird, capable of standing on a shallow water or at the edge of reed thickets, practically without changing the postures. Sometimes it meets on dry places where it behaves in the same way. It often sits on the trees, especially loves individual protruding dry branches. In danger, it flies, it rises easily from the ground, without running, - even from thick thickets. The flight is lightweight and leisurely, during flight a group of gray herons are often built up with a line or a wedge. Active round day.

Description. The main tone of the color is ash-gray, fly and steering feathers are almost black, on the bottom side of the neck - longitudinal dark sandings, the stomach white, the BOKE of the Black Body, the black and white spot stands out on the bending of the wing. In adult birds, the head is almost white, only the black "bandage" stretches to the back of the head, turning into a thin hanging brazier. Young birds are less contrasting, they have a grayish head, with a black "hat." The legs are greenish-gray, the beak of adult birds yellow, in the marriage - pinkish, eyes yellow. In young birds, the beak two-color - the screw-screw, connected yellow. Pooh in chicks light gray. The flying gray herons are well different from the red-haired pin of the contrasting painting wings (light gray and black) and longer legs.

Distribution, status. The nesting area covers a significant part of Eurasia and Africa. In European Russia, the most widespread heron, found from Karelia in the north to the Black Sea coast in the south. In the middle lane - a flight bird, in the south sometimes wintering, in recent years there have been winter meetings and near Moscow. It is common, although not a few, in the south in many places is inferior in numbers other types of herds - for example, or. In the spring, it arrives very early, the first birds of the colonies can be seen even when the snow and reservoirs are covered with ice. Falling late, some birds are delayed almost to the ice station.

Lifestyle. Mounted on a variety of reservoirs, nests usually colonies are predominantly on trees, as well as in a flooded shrub or in the thickets of cane. Colonies can be located in the forest at a distance of several kilometers from the reservoir. The size of the colonies is diverse, in the south of the region, several hundred couples can nest together. Gnob, like other hernel, in shape resemble a turned cone with translucent walls, through which eggs are clearly visible. In nesting on trees and shrubs, the main building material serve fine dry rods and branches. Nearby is extremely lungs, so they are maintained by the thin branches of trees and cane stems.

Couples form for life. In the laying of 3-5 greenish blue eggs size with chicken or slightly larger. Crucifies the masonry mostly female. Newborn chicks are completely helpless, but in vain. Adult birds feed them, tightening the semi-stewed food on the feet of chicks rises about 2 weeks after hatching. In a strong wind, the grown chicks often fall out of the nests located on the trees. In this case, they practically certainly doomed to death, because outside the nest parents are not feeding the chicks, but to return there on their own without knowing how to fly, they are unable.

When meeting with this unusual bird, each person admires its external features and behavior. Clearly visible on many photo, gray heron It differs from others and is a separate interesting view of the ARDEA CINEREA view, which is translated as an "ashes".

Habitat and features of the gray heron

Gray Heron belongs to the detachment of aist-like, genus. It has relatives and with other similar birds - blue herons and white herons. The distribution area is wide, it inhabits part of Europe, island and India, Asia (Japan and China).

In some zones colonies of gray heron Widely distributed, while others are populated only by individual representatives. In places with an unfavorable climate, like Europe with a low temperature of the Heron, it is not delayed, while remaining in these areas for rest with a flight.

Reproduction and life expectancy of gray herons

At the age of 2, the males and 1 year in females comes ready to reproduce. Some types of monogamry forming couples for life, some polygamans that are new couple each season.

The male begins to build the nest first, after which the break from work calls for a female with loud cries, but as soon as she flies to the nest, he drives her away and so, the nest will not be almost ready. After mating, and the male with a fertilized female draws together a place for nesting.

The number of eggs can vary from 3 to 9 in one masonry. The color of the shell is greenish or bluish, size up to 60 mm. Eggs both parents are sitting, but the female is in the nest longer. After 27 days, chicks are hatched, which have vision, but completely helpless and deprived of plumage.

Parents feed their chicks three times a day, tightening the food to them in the mouth. Mortality among newly hatched Herons is high. Not all chicks manage to get enough food for growth, and some die from hunger.

In the photo chick of gray heron in the nest

Stronger individuals kill and throw out the weak nest to get more food. Parents can also leave the chicks of those on confronting predators if they see danger, saving their lives.

At 7 or 9, the chicks appear on the chicks, and in 90, chicks can be considered adults and formed, after which they leave the parents nest. How many gray heron live? The life of the bird is small, just 5 years.

The population of Heron does not cause concerns from scientists. She lives on many continents and actively replenishes a population that already has more than 4 million. Red Book, Gray Heron It is not under threat, it is not a valuable object for hunting, although birds shooting officially allowed all year round.

"Heron is an important, nicked, all day stands as a statue." The children's poem causes a smile, and the imagination draws a big bird with a long beak, very long thin legs and a long neck, curved letter S. These birds are known for their attachment to shallow water, where standing on one leg can track fish on one leg.

Herons relate to the detachment of aistoid (galley) and the alert family. These herons form the eponymous genus, which includes 14 species of birds similar to the structure and lifestyle, but differ in the magnitude and color of the plumage.


Because of the clumsy seed gait on Russia, he was called "Chapeli" or "Chepour". Similar names of birds can be traced in all Slavic languages, because they come from the general word "catch".

What a heron looks like

These are large birds with an increase of 80 - 100 cm and above. The average weight of the Heron is about 1.5 - 2 kg, males a little harder females and other external sexual differences in the bird nature are not found.

Heron's body extended, dense and massive. Looking at the photo of the heron in the eyes rushes her long neck - the unique and distinctive part of the body of these birds. If the rest of the aist-like in the flight pulls the neck far ahead, then the heron is on the contrary, it makes the neck in such a way that her back falls on his back.

Hernel's legs are long and thin, ending 4 fingers: 3 directed forward, one back. A particularly long served claw, which plays an important role in hygiene procedures, is growing on the middle finger claw. From the broken tips of feathers on the body of birds, the so-called featherless are formed - a peculiar powder, the necessary birds for lubricating feathers so that they do not stick out of the mucus of the eaten fish. Here and helps a long claw that the Heron "Pudrit" is his plumage.

Long Rounded Herkel Wings with a Spot of about 2 m well adapted for long flights. Heron takes off. It is interesting: first the bird makes frequent cramped and breaks away from the surface, but the legs do not press and for a while they hang out freely in the air. Heron's heap climbing is slow and calm, and long legs stretched into the string and retarded far behind the housing.

The narrow long beak of the Heron is an excellent tool for producing food, the birds with ease pierce fish and kill rodents with a size of a young rabbit. The beak of the Heron has a slightly fightened with the sides of the form and grows up to 13 - 15 cm. The color of the beak happens from pale yellow to dark brown.

The plumage of the pin thick and loose and variety of colors is no different. The prevailing colors are gray, white and black, only the main plumage of red-haples chestnut-brown. Many types of headings are decorated with a hokholkom from long feathers.


Gray Heron through a moment is ready to rise to the blue sky.

Area and lifestyle

Herons are common worldwide. Inhabitants of the northern regions migratory birds, wintering in the south. Some of them remain for the winter in the nesting places under the condition of non-freezing reservoirs.

Most of the Herkels live near fresh lakes, individual colonies are found in the saltwaters and seas. The main thing for birds is shallow water, where they can produce fish and high nesting trees. Herons do not live in dense forests, deserts and high-mountainous areas.

Sometimes the pin can be found in settlements located near the reservoir, as well as within the city.

This birds do not adhere to certain sleep and wakeful time, can be active in the afternoon and at night, although you prefer to hunt at sunrise and at sunset. Most of the time Heron is mined, but not so much feed how much prey is dried, standing in water with a foot.


Gray Heron with a caught fish.

What the herles eat

Each Heron practices its method of mining. Some patiently stand on one leg in the thickets of the root, others roam along the coast with a folded neck, shaking the water with long legs. Some sprinkle wings, shading the water and look at what is happening under their feet.

As soon as the victim falls into the field of view, the Heron lightly straightens the neck and grasps production across the body. Then deftly shifts along the beak and swallows the whole, head forward. Large food Heron River on the part, hammering with a beak and breaks bones.

Mollusks, crustaceans, amphibians and large insects are necessarily present in the diesel diet. Do not break the birds with small animals and willingly eat water rats, mice and moles. If you steal prey from drinking, cormorants and chaps, but also become victims of robberies of other birds, for example, gray raven.

Near the human housing, Heron willingly feed on garbage and food processing products.


Large white Heron in flight.

Features of breeding

The females ripen in one year old, the genital maturity of males comes to 2 years. In both sexes, the beak and legs in the marriage period become intense red.

Heron monogamans, some species form a couple for life, others only for one season. The inhabitants of the tropics do not have binding to a certain reproduction time. Migratory populations of moderate belt nest immediately after arrival: in March - early April.

During the nesting period, most of the sackel species form large colonies of dozens and even hundreds of couples. The nests build high on trees, sometimes in thickets of shrub and cane.

Pairing is preceded by a very original marriage ritual. The first to build the nest starts the male, and then calls for a female, standing on the nest in a characteristic posture with open wings and trapped into the sky. The female arrives attracted by the ranking sounds and the male immediately beats her and drives it. So goes on once again and the later the female arrives, the sooner a couple is formed, sometimes without the ritual of beatings and expulsion.

Herons mate and continue the construction of the nest. The male brings the rod and dry reed, the female lays them, while protecting the nest from the neighbors' encroachment. Herkel's nest looks like a careless pile of branches, its shape is an inverted cone, with a medium height of 50 - 60 cm with a tray diameter of about 80 cm. Often a couple uses the nest re-correcting and completing each year.

Breaking offspring

The female postpones from 3 to 9 greenish-blue eggs, many are pointed on both ends, and sits in the nest to the journey with the male. The herons of the southern populations are based on the laying of 3 weeks living in temperate latitudes 26 - 27 days. The first hatches of the chick from the first pending eggs and has every chance of survival.

Chicks appear on the light of vigorous, covered with a grayish-white poem and completely helpless. Parents feed the offspring of the padded food, which is torn from the stomach.

After some time, brutal competition begins among chicks. The first is the strongest, he gets more food, he takes the food from the weak brothers and sisters, often noted that large chicks eaten younger. While parents are engaged in the extraction of the next feed, food from chicks can take chicks - neighbors who are already able to fly.

At best, half of the offspring survives, often in the nest remain 1 - 2 of the strongest chick. At the age of 2 months, young birds acquire the ability to fly and begin to feed themselves.

In captivity, they live up to 20 years, in the wild their life expectancy is significantly less.

Types of herbal

To date, the most studied 12 types of herons belonging to the genus, most of them are quite numerous, but some are rare and are under threat of extinction. The family is also included in the family: white Herons (10 species), Egyptian Herons (1 type), pondholders (6 species), Tiger Herons (3 species) and others. Elepping and quaxes are also representatives of the alert family.

Representatives of the species are quite numerous and live on most of Eurasia and Africa. The greatest number of birds is celebrated in Russia, China and Japan. These are large Herons weighing up to 2 kg with a characteristic jam-gray leaf of the back and the light gray bottom of the body.



Gray herons on a truncated tree.

Large gray heron on the morning hunt.
Gray Heron on a walk.
Gray Heron in Flight.
Gray Heron sits on the water, the photo is made in Israel.

These nearest relatives of the gray heron are widespread in the new light. The growth of an adult individual reaches 137 cm with a body weight of about 2.5 kg. The top of the body of birds is painted in gray, on a long neck is well distinguishable black, white and brownish strips. The head of males decorates the bunch of black feathers.



Large blue herons on the nest.

Numerous appearance of herds living in Africa, America, Eurasia, Australia and New Zealand. Adult birds grow up to 104 cm and weigh a little more kg. A distinctive feature of a large white heron is a completely snow-white plumage.


Big white Heron, Delta Okavango, Botswana.

Large white Heron - a large marsh bird with long legs, 94-104 cm growing.

A widespread numerous population of these birds lives from East Africa to the southern Asian regions and Australia. Very much resembles a big white heron, but has a smaller body sizes.


A rare, extinct view of the Heron, living in the north of Myanmar, in India and Bhutan. These are large birds, taking up to 127 cm of dark gray with a whitish bottom of the body.



A small bird with a chestnut-drier bottom of the body and a gray back. It dwells in Africa and Eurasia, forms 4 subspecies that are quite numerous throughout the range.


Redhead Heron (Ardea Purpurea).
Redhead Heron in pursuit of fish.

Absolutely white birds with a hokholkom on the head and a bright yellow beak. Inhabit Russia, Korea and China, winter on the Islands of Southeast Asia. Today, the yellowing herons are counted for vulnerable species.



Yolvering heron in flight.

The type of small hernel with a body length of about 45 - 55 cm. The contrasting color of the plumage resembles Soup: dark gray spin and head and white chest. In a large number of birds are found in Australia, New Guinea and on the nearest small islands.





The average size of the bird size is about 85 cm. The color of the plumage is reminded by gray hergs, but the darker color with black markings on the neck. Sugar south of the Sahara desert and on Madagascar island. The state of the population of the black housing does not cause concerns.



Black-hungry Heron collects twigs for the nest.

Mailing out the view of the Herlin, living in Madagascar. This is the average poultry size of about 90 cm with a gray-shale color of the plumage.


Very numerous appearance of birds living throughout South America and nearby islands. The length of the body of adult birds is 95 - 127 cm with weight to 2.5 kg. Bruho birds black, head decorates black hat, neck and white chest.



The largest representative of the genus, also known as the Heron-Goliath and Heron-Giant. The growth of birds is 155 cm, and the mass of the body reaches 7 kg. The plumage of the birds of gray-brown color, neck and head of chestnut-brown, chin is painted in white. The numerous bird population lives through the entire African continent south of the Sahara desert.



Giganic herons at the reservoir.

Small white Heron refers to the genus white herons. Externally, it looks like a big white Heron from the genus ordinary herons.




The kind of white American heron belongs to the genus white herons. It dwells almost throughout South America and in the south of North America. In the North American continent, this species leads a flight lifestyle.


White American heron caught cancer.

American White Heron (Snowy Egret) - about 60 centimeters long, feed on various small fish, crustaceans, reptiles and, sometimes, insects.

Relatives of Herkel - Cranes, see

 

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