When can you see a chaffinch in the spring? Migratory bird common finch. Unusual habits of birds

Finch– one of the most common forest birds in Europe. This is a rather unpretentious creature that can be found not only in forests. City parks and gardens are also their home.

Features and habitat of the finch

finch bird represents the finch family. By finch description- a small bird about the size of a bird, sometimes reaches up to 20 cm in length, and weighs only about 30 g. However, it differs significantly from other birds in that it has very bright plumage.

Males, especially during the mating season, look very defiant. Their neck and head are blue or dark blue. The chest, cheeks and throat are dark red or burgundy, the forehead and tail are black.

Two brightly colored stripes on each wing, and a green tail make the owner’s appearance unforgettable. After molting in the autumn, the color scheme of the bird's plumage becomes much more faded and brown tones begin to predominate.

The female finch has a more muted color, with gray-green shades predominating in its color. The juvenile chicks are larger in color than the females. There are many subspecies of finches; they differ among themselves in size, beak, color and other features. In some areas they occupy a leading place in number among other small birds.

Finches are considered migratory birds, although some representatives adapt and remain for the winter in their favorite territory. The European part of Russia, Siberia, and the Caucasus are their summer residence.

In September and October, birds gather in groups of approximately 50 to 100 individuals and go to winter in Central Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Kazakhstan and Crimea.

The photo shows a female finch

Overwinter the finch maybe in neighboring regions located further south. Birds fly to the South quickly, about 55 km/hour. Along the way, the flock may stop in regions rich in food for several days.

It can be said with firm confidence that, depending on the region, finches are sedentary, nomadic and migratory birds. In winter, finches form flocks and live mainly in open areas. As a rule, these are meadows and fields. Finches and sparrows are often members of their flock.

When the finches arrive spring is just beginning and they can be observed in forests, groves, forest plantations and city parks. Favorite habitats are sparse spruce forests, mixed forests and light forests. In most cases they do not nest, since they usually look for food on the surface of the ground. Mostly they fly to the places where they were last summer.

The origin of the name of the bird is from the word freeze, chill. After all, they arrive at the very beginning of spring and fly away at the beginning of cold weather. There is one old Russian saying that if you hear the song of a finch, it means frost and cold, but it means warmth. It is noteworthy that the Latin name of the bird has the same root as the word cold. Our ancestors also believed that the finch is the herald of spring.

Character and lifestyle of the finch

Common finch flies very quickly, and prefers to jump rather than walk on the surface of the earth. Songs of the finch ringing, loud and highly variable individually, very similar to the trills of a lark, but have their own characteristics.

The duration of the chant is no more than three seconds, after a short pause it is repeated. Young animals perform simpler melodies, learn from adults and acquire skill and virtuosity with age.

By the way, each region has its own individual “dialect”, sounds made by a finch vary depending on where you live. The bird's repertoire can include up to 10 songs, which she performs in turn.

Before the rain, birds sing a peculiar trill “ryu-ryu-ryu”, so these birds can predict the weather. If the finch sings finch voice can be heard from the moment of arrival until mid-summer. In autumn, finches sing less often and “in a low voice.” At home chaffinch singing starts in January.

Nowadays to hear finch voice, many strive to achieve it at home. However, this is not the best solution. The finch does not really like to sing in a cage, it is constantly nervous, tries to free itself, and it may develop eye problems and obesity. In addition, choosing a diet for this bird is quite difficult.

Finch nutrition

The finch feeds on plant foods or insects. The bird's palate, strong beak and strong facial muscles make it easy to break both beetle shells and hard seeds.

Main diet: weed seeds and cones, buds and leaves, flowers, berries and all kinds of insects. Despite the fact that workers Agriculture complain that birds destroy the seeds of sown plants, about the chaffinch it is safe to say that it brings significant benefits to fields and forests.

Reproduction and lifespan of the finch

From warm lands male and female finches in spring They arrive in separate flocks. Males arrive earlier and stay away from their future mates. Then the males begin to sing loudly, these sounds resemble the chirping of chicks. These sounds lure females into their territory.

The mating season for finches begins in March. Before finding a mate, males occupy nesting areas, which have their own boundaries and different areas.

Often these are places where they nested last year. Competitors of the same species are immediately expelled from this territory. Fights between first-year males and older males over the outskirts of the old men’s territories are especially frequent.

During the mating season, males finch look like real bullies. They fuss a lot, fight among themselves and sing, often interrupting the song. At this moment he pulls himself up and the feathers on his head are pressed.

A nearby female flies up to the male, sits down next to him, bends her legs, raises her wings and tail a little, throws her head up and begins to quietly squeak “zi-zi-zi.” Such acquaintance can occur both on the ground and in tree branches.

A month later, the finches begin building their home. This task is entrusted to the female, the male’s concern is help. It has been estimated that when building a nest, the female descends to the ground at least 1,300 times in search of suitable materials. finch nest can be found on almost any tree and at any height. Most often - about 4 m and in the forks of branches.

In a week you get something unique architectural structure– a bowl with a diameter of up to one meter. It contains thin twigs, moss, branches, grass and roots. All this is held together using a web.

Its walls are thick and durable and can reach 25mm. The outer walls are moss, lichen and birch bark. The inside of the nest is lined with various feathers; down and wool are also used. The result is a house that is perfectly camouflaged and hardly noticeable.

Pictured is a chick finch

The clutch contains 3-6 eggs, greenish in color with red dots. While the female hatches the chicks, the male brings her food and carefully looks after her. After about two weeks, babies are born with red skin and dark down on the back and head.

They are completely helpless and both parents lovingly feed them directly into their beaks, putting them in. During this period, it is absolutely forbidden to disturb. If a person approaches the nest, children or eggs, adult birds may leave it.

In mid-June, the chicks fly out of the nest, but their parents help them for another half a month. The second brood of finches appears in mid-late summer. There are fewer eggs in the second clutch. The finch lives not for long, although in captivity its lifespan can reach up to 12 years.

They die mostly carelessly, since they often look for food on the ground and can be trampled by people or caught by predators. The finch feather is popularly considered a symbol of family happiness and prosperity.

Almost every resident of Russia is familiar with a bird the size of a sparrow - the finch. Unlike its urban counterpart, the finch can be easily spotted by its bright color. The males are especially different here: they have a bright red chest and greenish-brown back, and a blue head. Females look less remarkable; they are duller in color. In their nature life cycle does not last more than two years, but in captivity finches live up to 12 years.

Bird habitat

Finch nests can be found throughout our country. In addition, finches can be found in North Africa, Asia and Europe. Truly unique creations. Despite their small size, they easily fly long distances. Most often, birds settle in forest areas, but you can meet them in urban areas. With global urbanization, some began to settle next to people and benefit from this proximity. Therefore, noticeable birds can be seen in an ordinary park and garden.

Brief description of the appearance of the finch

It is worth looking carefully at the appearance of the birds. If you have seen a photo of a finch bird, you will think that he not much different from a sparrow. This is partly true. Males:

1. small size;
2. with a sharp gray beak;
3. on the head there is a cap of bluish plumage with a grayish tint;
4. There is a small rusty stain on the breast. The back is brick shade. Fun fact: the beak color changes with the seasons. In winter it is brown, and in warm weather it is blue.

Female chaffinches look paler compared to males. A calm color scheme is needed for hatching chicks. In this case, the female merges with the nest and it is difficult for predators to notice her. Therefore, their back is dark brown, but their breast is not much different. By

Since the finch belongs to the finch family, its diet consists of insects. This is especially noticeable during the mating season, that is, from May to July. In this segment finches only eat insects, since successful reproduction requires an abundance of protein food. By the way, small birds bring serious benefits to agriculture. They eat dangerous pests - butterflies and dipterous beetles. In other words, those who actively harm human plantings.

In rare cases, poultry switches to products of plant origin. Seeds, fruits, berries. It is nutrition that poses the main difficulty in keeping birds in captivity. Since it is extremely difficult to provide them with constant access to insects.

Migratory season

Birds in September begin to fly away to warmer climes . This is especially true for those flocks that live in central Russia. Some birds that live in the south of the country have adapted to wintering in place and have adapted to them. Many flocks simply fly to neighboring regions. They all return to their native lands.

Finch: will or captivity

It used to be fashionable to keep a finch at home. He became famous as a skilled singer along with the nightingale. It has been observed that birds live longer in captivity. Distinctive feature finch: long period of adaptation to a new place and lack of singing during this period. They very impressionable, so I can get scared and die. Therefore, they are not suitable for keeping in an apartment.

As a result of artificial selection, it was possible to breed the ornamental finch. But even they sang only in the presence of a person when he was completely motionless. As soon as the person moved, the bird began to frantically beat against the bars of the cage, causing injury to itself. Therefore, they were kept separately, covering the cage with a blanket. At night, waking up, the bird also began to beat against the cage. Due to its complex diet, the bird often gets obesity and eye problems.

Therefore, despite their beauty and singing abilities, such pets are not adapted to captivity.

In nature, finches breed in the warm season, making several clutches of eggs. Nests are made in May; incubation takes two months in total. Therefore, birds often manage to hatch two broods during a season. Males have been repeatedly observed to be polygamous, that is, to impregnate several females at the same time. There are up to eight eggs in a clutch. After about three weeks, the chicks leave the nests.

Bird nests are also noteworthy. They are small. Males cover them with lichen and moss to hide their family from birds of prey. Thanks to the coloring of the feathers, the females fit perfectly into the objects around her and this makes her invisible.

Distinctive features of the chicks:

1. Down instead of feathers;
2. A kind of cap on the head;
3. The first flight is attempted two weeks after hatching;
4. Both parents feed: insects. Most often by bugs or caterpillars;

As you can see, there are many interesting specimens among small birds. Even with its small size, such a pet can sink into your soul. But not all birds can be kept in captivity, no matter how much you would like to keep a singer in your apartment. That's why it is better to choose parrots or canaries, since they are accustomed to being kept at home.

Winged Wanderers

Timings of arrival and departure of birds

Arrival and departure times various types birds have not only educational, but also some practical interest. This is especially true for arrival times. The timing of field work and, in many ways, the fate of the harvest depend on the course of spring. There are many popular signs that predict the weather in spring and summer. Many of them are associated with birds. In the course of spring events in the life of birds, one can determine the speed of snow melting, plowing and sowing conditions, feed harvest and much more. The friendly flight of birds speaks of the upcoming friendly spring; flight of flocks at high altitude - about the upcoming heavy flood; the early arrival of cranes - about a friendly, spore-filled spring; larks - about warm spring. It was believed that if waterfowl arrived fat and not emaciated, the spring would be cold and long.

The arrival of some common bird species determined the start of many agricultural activities more accurately than calendar dates. For example, the rooks have arrived - it’s time for gardeners to repair greenhouses and prepare seeds; The larks have appeared - get the hives. Forty days after the arrival of the starlings, they began to sow buckwheat, and with the appearance of lapwings, turnip seeds were selected for sowing. After the arrival of swifts at the end of May, flax was supposed to be sown. The return of birds was a sign of important changes in nature for the farmer. The arrival of larks meant the beginning of clearing the fields of snow and the appearance of numerous thawed patches. It coincided with the Annunciation (April 7), when birds were supposed to be released from their cages and the “larks” were baked. After the arrival of the finches, there is usually a slight cooling. With the arrival of wagtails, rivers open up. The appearance of seagulls means the imminent end of ice drift, and the return of flocks of lapwings is associated with the beginning of heavy floods.

At the beginning of this century, the famous Russian phenologist and naturalist D.N. Kaigorodov organized a whole network of correspondent-observers who collected data on the progress of the spring arrival of common known species birds of the forest belt of Russia. Based on the analysis and generalization of more than 25 thousand observations, he marked on the map the places where rooks, storks, cuckoos and other birds appeared simultaneously in the spring. The lines connecting these places - isochrones - show the features of the course of the spring migration, its speed, direction, connection with changes in air temperature and other meteorological conditions. For example, rooks return to all nesting sites in the European part of the USSR in just 5 weeks. They move from southwest to northeast at an average speed of 55 km per day. The cuckoo flies about 80 km per day, the white stork - 60 km. The more observations that form the basis of such calculations, the more accurate they will be. Unfortunately, the number of volunteer correspondents providing ornithological specialists with accurate phenological data has now sharply decreased. But they could bring invaluable benefits to both ornithologists and agricultural specialists and provide significant practical assistance in assessing changes natural conditions large territories over a number of years, in predicting the timing of sowing and harvesting in various areas, etc. The school calendar of nature is a continuation and development folk calendar, which still helps farmers in the struggle for the harvest. In the 1920s, the calendar of bird arrivals was carefully kept at the Biological Station for Young Naturalists in Sokolniki (Moscow) and transferred to the Department of Agrometeorological Service of the USSR Ministry of Agriculture.

Information about the occurrence of various seasonal phenomena in nature, including the arrival and departure of common bird species, coming from institutions and individual correspondents, is regularly published by Hydrometeoizdat for periods of 10-12 years.

Each specific year, the arrival dates of birds differ slightly from the long-term average: some are more, others are less. We can recommend a task for members of a biological circle: keep track of when they met this or that bird for the first time in the year, and compare this number with the average arrival date indicated in the table, and then think about how its shift can be explained. The arrival usually occurs in several “waves”, and between them there are periods of relative calm.

Dates of arrival of common bird species in the European part of the USSR, signs of spring and timing of major agricultural work. Table 2.

Arrival wave	Bird species	Date of arrival (long-term average)	Signs of spring or type of agricultural work
I	Rook	18-19.III	Preparatory work
II	Starling	30.III	Preparatory work
	Finch	30.III	Short-term cold snap
	Lark	1.IV	The appearance of thawed patches in the fields
III	White wagtail	5.IV	Beginning of ice drift
	Lapwing	5-7.IV	Preparing seeds for the garden
	Black-headed gull	8.IV	The end of the ice drift
	Robin	8.IV	The end of the ice drift
IV	Redstart	17.IV
	mallard duck	18.IV
	Gray crane	18.IV
	Chiffchaff	18.IV
	Pied Flycatcher	19.IV	Start of plowing
V	Cuckoo	27-30.IV	Noticeable warming
	Warbler rattle	27-30.IV	Start of sowing vegetables (carrots, beets)
	Warbler	27-30.IV
	Wryneck	29.IV
	Killer whale swallow	30.IV	Sowing
VI	Warbler	5.V	The height of the sowing season
	Gray flycatcher	8.V	The height of the sowing season
	Nightingale	8-10.V	The height of the sowing season
	Mockery	11.V	The height of the sowing season
VII	Oriole	16.V	Planting cucumbers, cabbage, peas
	Shrike	21.V	Sowing barley and flax
	Lentils	21.V	Sowing barley and flax
	Landrail	21.V	Sowing barley and flax
	Quail	21.V	Sowing barley and flax
	Swift	21.V	Sowing barley and flax

Observations of the passage of birds can be carried out at any point in the middle zone, but it is better on one of the small or large flyways - on the coast of a reservoir, a strip of forest among open spaces, in a valley, at the edge of a forest. You can watch the flight just on the outskirts of the city, and at the height of it, from the window of a multi-story building. It would be nice to have binoculars, at least theatrical ones. At a certain hour (preferably early in the morning) for several days in a row it is interesting to count how many and what kind of birds were seen flying past. Such observations make it possible to monitor the dynamics of the migration of several species (beginning, peak, end), the replacement of some birds during migration by others, and the general end of an intensive migration. Of course, you need to observe every day, patiently and at the same time be able to distinguish from a distance common species birds (Fig. 13).

Rice. 13. Silhouettes of birds in flight (according to Sungurov, 1960):
1 - swift; 2- barn swallow; 3 - seagull; 4 - sparrow; 5 - crested lark: 6 - wagtail; 7 - bee-eater; 8 - starling; 9 - thrush; 10 - owl; 11 - sparrowhawk; 12 - partridge; 13 - jackdaw; 14 - pheasant; 15 - large curlew; 16 - rook; 17 - city ​​swallow; 18 - snipe; 19 - kestrel; 20 - forty; 21 - lapwing; 22 - woodcock.

There are countries in which bird watching tourism is widely developed. This is a whole science that has its amateurs and professionals. There's even a special term for it English origin, which in Russian sounds like “birding”.

Often people do not even notice those birds that live nearby. But in vain! Among ordinary birds There are quite attractive species, distinguished by their beautiful singing and bright colors.

Thus, the chaffinch can be found throughout Europe. The bird is quite unpretentious to its habitat, so it settles not only in forests, but also in city gardens and parks. If you make your own observations, you can find out whether the finch is a migratory bird or not. The answer will also be given in this article.

Why finch?

In order to understand the origin of the name, it is worth turning to Russian folklore. There is a sign that the lark sings for the onset of summer, and the finch for the return of frost. The bird arrives from wintering quite early, when spring has not yet fully come into its own. They immediately start singing. People began to say that the singing of a finch warns a person that he will have to chill, that is, he should wait for spring frosts. Latin name birds translates as "cool". Perhaps this means that cold weather will come for her.

According to another version, the finch was named so because when it sings in early spring, he abruptly breaks off his trills. It seems as if the cold has taken his breath away. This bird also trembles slightly while singing. But what does a finch bird look like?

Appearance

The species belongs to the Finch family. It is better to start describing the bird (finch) with the fact that it looks like a sparrow. Only its plumage is much brighter. Males, especially during the breeding season, have a blue head and neck. Their cheeks, throat, chest are burgundy, and their forehead is black.

There are light stripes on the black wings. The tail is dark in color with a green tint. By autumn, the color scheme fades and the color changes to a brownish color. The color of the female is dominated by gray-green tones.

There are many subspecies of finches. Each of them has distinctive features in appearance. For example, body size or beak shape.

Habitat

Depending on the time of year, the finch bird lives in different territories. In summer, it lives in European countries, Siberia, and the Caucasus. For the winter it flies to Central Europe, Asia Minor, Crimea, and Kazakhstan. It even reaches North Africa.

Features of accommodation

Finches are classified as migratory birds. Therefore, it is not correct to say that this is a wintering bird. The finch can adapt and stay for the winter if it has chosen a suitable place. Much depends on the region of residence. There are finches that are sedentary, nomadic, and migratory.

For wintering, it does not always leave the borders of one country. He may choose the southern region, where winters are milder. For migration, birds gather in flocks of 50-100 individuals. They fly at a speed of 55 kilometers per hour. Along the way, they can stop at areas rich in food. A few days later their flight continues. In wintering areas they live in flocks. Sparrows sometimes join them.

Finches return in early spring. They settle where there are trees - in forests, city parks, groves. They give preference to sparse spruce forests, light forests, and mixed forests. They often fly to the place where they were last summer. Such birds fly very quickly and jump on the ground.

Singing

The finch is a bird that sings beautifully. Her songs are loud and sonorous. There are many variations of singing, depending on the individual characteristics of the species. The trills are similar to those performed by a lark.

The chant lasts three seconds. This is followed by a short pause and repetition of the chant. Young birds perform melodies that do not differ in any complexity. They learn from adults, gradually acquiring skill and improving their virtuosity.

The sounds that the finch makes differ depending on the region of residence. In total, his repertoire includes up to ten songs. He performs them one by one.

These birds can be used to predict not only the arrival of spring, but also the likelihood of rain. Before precipitation they perform “ryu-ryu-ryu”. By autumn the singing becomes quiet. This is most likely due to the end of the breeding season. The male no longer needs to attract the attention of his companion.

At home, the bird sings loudly from January to September. However, it is better not to start it as a pet. Finches do not like to live in cages. They get nervous a lot, try to fly away, and may refuse to sing. In captivity, they are prone to obesity and eye problems. If such a bird does appear in the house, you should pay attention to its diet. It should be closer to natural. How do birds feed in wild environment?

Nutrition

The finch bird eats both plant and animal foods. To do this, she catches various insects and looks for grain. Its beak is very strong. It is complemented by strong facial muscles. Therefore, the bird is able to break through the shell of a beetle or the shell of a seed.

Basic diet:

• weed seeds;
• tree buds;
• leaves;
• cones;
• berries;
• flowers;
• insects.

The finch is not averse to eating the seeds that are sown in the fields. Agricultural workers often complain about them. But, eating a huge number of insects, they bring more benefits to both agricultural crops and forest plantations.

They destroy especially many insects during the period when the chicks appear. Finches feed them only protein foods. Which is not so common among birds of this family.

Reproduction

In the spring, finches, photos and descriptions of which are presented in the article, arrive in flocks, united by gender. Males return earlier. They stay separate from the females. The breeding process begins by luring female friends into their territory. To do this, males sing loudly. The sounds are similar to chicks chirping.

The mating season begins in March. Before luring a mate, males need to occupy a nesting site. Usually last year's place is chosen. If there are competitors near the nesting site, they are immediately driven out. Therefore, frequent fights occur between adults and first-year children.

During this period, males behave fussily, constantly fight, often interrupt their songs, and their plumage on the head is smoothed.

A female finch is nearby. She flies up to the male and sits next to him on a branch or on the ground. The female bends her legs and raises her wings and tail. Her head throws up, and a quiet “zi-zi-zi” comes from her beak. This is how a couple is formed.

A month later they begin to build their home. The female is considered to be the main one in this matter, and the male only helps. Researchers estimate that she picks up materials to build a nest from the ground. She goes down about 1300 times. The nest is built at a distance of four meters from the ground. Although the height and type of tree can be very different.

It takes a week to build the nest. Usually the nest has the shape of a bowl. The bird uses moss, thin twigs, grass, and roots as materials. The fastening is a web. The nest has rather thick walls - about two centimeters. The outer part is covered with moss, lichen or birch bark. The inside of the bowl is lined with feathers, down, and wool. Such a house cannot always be seen from the ground, thanks to good camouflage.

The female lays from 3 to 6 eggs. They have a greenish tint with red spots irregular shape. The female incubates them, and her partner brings food, showing care for her. But the male is not monogamous. He can find another female to mate with, not forgetting to take care of his offspring.

Chicks

Chaffinch chicks are born two weeks after laying. They have visible red skin. Dark fluff covers only the back and head. The kids are helpless. Parents put insects in their beaks. During this period they should not be disturbed. Any outside interference will lead to the parents leaving the nest and the chicks to die.

By mid-June the chicks are ready to leave the nest. The parents help the young birds for a few more weeks. By the end of summer, the pair may have a second brood. Only this time there will be significantly fewer eggs in the clutch.

Lifespan

Finches - forest birds who look for food for themselves and their chicks on the ground. They are often victims of predators. Perhaps that is why they do not live long. Although in captivity their life expectancy is up to twelve years.

They are found in nature very often, so they do not belong to rare species or dying out. Finches do not pose any danger or value to humans and do not cause harm. That is why you will not find them in the Red Book. Although there are many beautiful pictures of males with bright colors on the Internet. This suggests that the bird is popular among ornithologists.