A drunkard among the birds. Such glory earned the waxwings. Feather eat on berries. In the cold in them, the processes of fermentation begin. Drinking such a «berry wine» waxed greedily. Drunk, the birds fall into drifts, crash into houses, windows, fly on wires. In general, the taste preferences of waxwings increase the mortality of birds. They are as bright, not ordinary, as their life.
Description and features of the waxwolf
In the photo, the waxwoman appears like a dandy. The main color of the bird is pinkish-gray. So the back, chest, belly and crest on the bird’s head are painted. Her tail has a yellow edging.
The sunny tone is also present on the wings, combined with a black and white scale and a pair of scarlet marks. A red speck is also under the animal’s tail. Black is also present on the chin of the waxworm and in the form of a semblance of arrows at his eyes.
Bird waxing in winter
«Fighting coloring» a bird waxing is different both in the female and in the male body. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed in the sizes of representatives of the species. Sviristel is a small bird. At a standard length of 20 centimeters feather weighs about 70 grams.
The constitution of the animal is compact, dense. And the tail and wings seem small. The beak of a waxener is short, black. The eyes of the bird are also dark, small. Careful claws claws. It’s easier to stay on flexible branches.
Sviristel ordinary
A dense bird wax looks and due to plumage. Its downy layer is dense and warm, comes in handy in the winter. Waxwing belongs to the passerine. Hence some habits of the bird. So, she flies straight, fast. «Dead loops,» as in swallows, from waxwings can not wait.
Lifestyle and habitat
What a waxworm looks like, most people in the northern hemisphere know. In the southern representatives of the family are not found. The biotope of the hero’s spread of the article is impressive:
• First, the bird is found at any altitude, is equally distributed both in the lowlands and in the mountains
• Secondly, the waxworm is found both in forests and in felling, whether they are dry or swampy.
The main thing is that in selected areas there are berries. Relative preferences of passerine-like places are places with simultaneous presence of firs and birches. Such first of all are remembered at the question, where they live waxwing.
Amur waxwing
They are not sedentary, but you can not name migratory birds. The median version is nomadic birds. Such are the waxwings. They fly from place to place in search of food. They live waxing in flocks. Vocal voices of birds are heard around the area. Often birds are whistled. Hence the name of the animals. Sometimes the voice of the bird sounds like a bell.
Listen to the voice of the waxed
This enriches the singing of the waxwings. In a conversation on the topic of how the wigglers are waxed, the question of loudness of singing is important. It’s voiced. Knowingly in the Old Russian language the word «sviristet» means «shouting». It is inherent in all species of the genus, however, despite the loudness, it is melodic.
Types of waxwings
Species in the genus of the sweepers 8. In the family of their waxwings 3. Two of them are found in Russia. Another one dwells in the New World:
American waxwings
1. American waxwings. It is otherwise called cedar, inhabits Canada and the north of the United States. From other waxwings, Americans are distinguished by a yellow belly. By the size of the bird, the average between the relatives, reach a length of 20 centimeters.
2. The Amur waxwing. The only one of the family is listed in the Red Book. The bird is smaller than its relatives, it is only 16 cm long. There are Amur species not only in the Far East, but also in the countries of Asia and Japan.
3. Ordinary waxwings. Occurs in the Siberian taiga. Here the birds reach a length of 25 centimeters.
These are real waxwings. There are 2 more species from the family of silky:
Black waxwings
1. Black waxwings. The only species in which the color of different sexes varies. Sviristel female gray, and male — rich black. Feathered species also have an elongated tail and a pointed tuft on their head. Inhabit the black waxwings in America, mainly in the south of the continent.
Silk waxwings
2. Silk waxwings. Also inhabits the tropics and subtropics. Most of the population flies in the vastness of Mexico. The standing tuft of a bird is deprived, like ordinary waxwings. In size, silky waxwings do not differ from ordinary ones. They are also reminiscent of a short beak and wings, short legs. Only the elongated tails of American waxwings and their mostly monophonic coloring are distinct differences between the families.
Feeding of birds
Everyone was greedy with gluttony. Unlike thrushes and bullfinches, birds do not descend behind the dropped fruit. Sviristyaschie birds fly on trees and bushes like locusts, quickly sweeping away the food and throwing themselves on the next «table».
Cedar waxwings
After eating, the feathered continue the feast, until they eat everything:
• berries (rowan, kalina, mistletoe, barberry, dog rose, cranberries, juniper fruits)
• kidneys (mostly birch)
Since the waxwing is often overeaten, the stomachs of the birds can not fully digest the meal. Therefore, some of the berries come out through the cloaca only slightly softened. This facilitates the germination of seeds. So waxwings contribute to the multiplication of plants.
Intoxication of the hero of the article is also associated with gluttony. The bird sweeps indiscriminately all the berries, not taking away the fermented ones. Given the amount of food eaten, alcohol in the blood of animals comes a decent amount.
Sweethearts love rowan
Counting on the mass of ptah alcohol gives a strong intoxication. Almost every wintering bird carried it. Waxers of the tropical latitudes are not affected by the «dependence», since they do not meet with the frosted and then heated sun fruit.
Reproduction and life expectancy
Usually brisk and not afraid of people ptah from May to June to subside, become secretive. The nesting period begins. Pre-created pairs start working for him. In the «marriage» waxed monogamous and faithful to the partner.
Cedar waxwings with chicks
Nests of sviristjashchie ptakhi prefer to lay near reservoirs, in woodlands. There, animals search for large fir trees. Birds’ nests are hidden among their branches at an altitude of about 12 meters.
For the construction of the passerine nests use:
• feathers
• fluff
• needles and spruce branches
• Grass
• Lichens and mosses
• animal fur, for example, deer
Form at the nest of the waxwings is cup-shaped, deepened. The structure is firm and reliable. In it approximately 6 eggs of light-violet tone are hatched. Chicks appear after 2 weeks. This time the eggs sit on the eggs, and the male brings her food.
Young parents are fed by insects. Protein food allows chicks to grow as fast as possible. After gaining weight, they are converted to a vegetarian diet. In a month the young waxed ones are already independent. Sexual maturity of ptahs reach a year-old, living to about 13 years.
In captivity, the eyelid extends for 2-3 years. The main thing is to keep several ptas at once. Alone, the animal becomes apathetic, sluggish, more often sick. In other respects, the content of waxwings at home is problem-free. Feathers easily contact people, get used to them, please their brightness and singing.
