Have you ever wondered what birds are called songbirds? Judging by the name of those who can sing. But it turned out that everything was not so simple. But let's not keep the intrigue. Songbirds are a general name for birds that can make pleasant sounds. In total there are about 5,000 species, 4 thousand of which belong to the order Passeriformes.
Songbirds in Russia number about three hundred species from 28 families. The smallest is the yellow-headed kinglet, weighing 5-6g, and the largest is the raven, weighing up to one and a half kg. Surprised? Or do you think its sounds are not melodic? So let's figure out who and why ornithologists call warblers.
Keeping at home and breeding
Bird lovers often prefer these small colored birds. But if you decide to keep an oriole at home, then you need to familiarize yourself with a number of rules and restrictions.
Under no circumstances should you catch this bird and put it in a cage. Orioles are very freedom-loving birds. In captivity they will live no more than 3-5 days. It's another matter if you tame a small chick. But you should know that an oriole will never sing in a cage. If this freedom-loving bird resigns itself to captivity, then you still will not be able to hear its flute voice.
Orioles are cautious and timid. They prefer to please people away from them. Orioles are not domestic birds. Unfortunately, you won't be able to please the oriole. She prefers to eat found animals rather than purchased food. Due to eating disorders, many of these birds do not survive. This once again confirms that the oriole is destined for freedom. The human hand will only harm her.
From this it turns out that breeding an oriole at home is a very difficult task, sometimes impossible. Even the most avid bird lovers will have an oriole that will live no more than 3 years without offspring.
If you decide to get an oriole, then be sure to buy a large cage - the oriole loves to fight from corner to corner. Its feathers are soft, and if the cage is small, there is a risk that the bird will injure its feathers.
The oriole feels much better in its natural environment. The oriole is a monogamous bird - it chooses a mate for life. During the year, the female nurses 3-4 chicks. The incubation period for eggs lasts about 15 days. Basically, the female incubates; the male can only replace her for a few hours. The parents feed the little birds, first with bugs and then with berries. In general, orioles feed their chicks about 210 times a day - 10-15 times per hour. At the age of 15-17 days, the little oriole can already fly.
Fan-tailed cisticola, 10 cm
A small gray bird from the passerine family. Its plumage is covered with light stripes, and its tail is wide, fan-shaped. A feature that distinguishes females from males is the brightness of the color of the abdomen. Fan-tailed cisticolas live on different continents. Most of them are in India, Australia, Turkey and the Iberian Peninsula. Birds settle in salt meadows covered with saltwort, next to agricultural land, reservoirs and in forests overgrown with medium-sized shrubs. They feed on insects, mainly arachnids.
Which songbird should you choose?
What birds do you think can be seen or heard outside your window every day? Most often these are passerine birds. Let's look at several representatives of this order, unpretentious and suitable for keeping at home. Most often, siskins, bullfinches, redpolls, finches, buntings, goldfinches and greenfinches are kept in cages. These are not all types of birds that can be tamed.
Before getting such a pet, you should study a lot of literature and understand that these birds require special attention. You can’t just catch a bird from the wild and put it in a cage. Most likely, she will simply die. You need to act wisely and patiently
It is rare to find wild songbirds on sale from private birdwatchers, but if you are lucky, you should pay attention to granivorous birds, since insectivorous birds are quite difficult to keep precisely because of their diet.
The first bird that can be recommended for a novice zookeeper is the siskin.
. Once you meet him, you will forever remain attached to this wonderful little birdie. Despite its modest appearance, the siskin at the first meeting captivates with its grace and liveliness. And with a longer acquaintance, the siskin amazes with its gullibility and agreeableness. In a matter of days he stops being shy of people, gets used to flying out of the cage and comes back.
Siskin
Of all the household, he usually singles out the one who looks after him. And it is to this person that he will make all “requests” for a treat or a bath, raising the feathers on his head, jumping on the perch as close to his person as possible. And having settled into the house, siskins have no desire for freedom at all and can live up to 10 - 12 years.
Taming the siskin lies through the love of delicacies. Some prefer sunflower seeds, others hemp, others pine nuts. The song of the siskin is a quiet, melodic chirping, which distinguishes it favorably, for example, from parrots with their sharp and loud voice. Surrounded by other singers, the siskin enriches its song with borrowed knees. A captured male siskin begins to sing in the cage during the first or second week and sings diligently all year, excluding periods of molting. Female siskins usually do not sing, but some do sing.
Brown gerygone, 10 cm
In the 19th century, scientists called the bird a brown treebird because of the color of its plumage and its ability to build nests on tree trunks. The bird is endemic and lives only in eastern Australia. Brown gerygons live in flocks of 2-4 individuals. They inhabit thickets of coastal jungles and do not fly beyond them.
In the 21st century, the brown gerygon population has declined. The cause was deforestation. Now they are on the verge of extinction, therefore they are protected from catching and extermination by Australian law.
Canary
The first place is firmly held by canaries - singing birds, which began to be imported from the Canary Islands and Tenerife back in the 15th century. Initially, they were only green, but as a result of selection, yellow and orange appeared.
Canaries are valued for their excellent singing, but those who want to keep them should take into account: the voice of these birds is quite loud, and they can sometimes sing for days on end (only the males).
Domestic canary species can sing throughout the year, but they still have their own singing season. It begins, as a rule, at the end of November, by the beginning of winter the birds' voice gains strength, and they usually demonstrate their best singing from February and throughout the spring. By summer, canaries take a well-deserved vacation and give their vocal cords a chance to rest. Experts attribute this to the fact that during this period the birds are molting, and all the forces of their body are aimed at shedding the old plumage and replacing it with a new one - there is no time for songs.
Green warbler, 12.5 cm
The bird got its name from its bright green plumage. She has a loud voice, which in tone resembles the singing of a wagtail. Green warblers live in many regions of Russia, with the exception of the European part of the state, in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and in some countries on the Pacific coast.
The bird's nest is made from moss and dry grass in thickets of deciduous and mixed forests. It is shaped like a hut or a ball with a hole for entry.
Chizhik
In pre-revolutionary Russia, a cage with a siskin was a common attribute of a high school student’s room, a craftsman’s workshop, and a roadside tavern. And now the siskin is perhaps the first bird that can be recommended for keeping to a novice zoo lover. Despite its modest appearance, the siskin captivates at the first meeting with its grace and liveliness. In a matter of days he stops being shy of people, gets used to flying out of the cage and comes back. Of all the household, he usually singles out the one who looks after him. And it is to this person that he will make all “requests” for a treat or a bath, raising the feathers on his head, jumping on a perch and greeting his person with a perky song. Its singing includes many different trills, which may resemble the sounds of other birds, in particular tits. The siskin can sing up to 10 months a year.
Red-breasted Wagtail, 12 cm
One of the many species of the passerine order. It is endemic (endemism in birds is characteristic primarily of island territories and areas that are limited by biotic, climatic or geological barriers) and inhabits Australia, occasionally found in forests growing along the Indian Ocean.
Despite the fact that Red-breasted Wagtails are shy creatures, they build nests near human habitation. This way they can always find food and stay warm in frosty weather. Birds of this species are considered useful. They fly across agricultural land and peck pests from plants. When the harvest season ends, they fly off into the trees and swamps to raise their young.
Goldfinch
The goldfinch's repertoire can consist of more than 20 variants of melodies, and the sounds it makes while singing can be either pleasant and melodic or harsh and rude. Goldfinches can only compete with canaries in their singing abilities. By the way, like them, goldfinches become silent during molting and do not sing. However, if only males sing in canaries, then in goldfinches both males and females sing, and females sometimes do it more skillfully.
If you did not purchase a goldfinch at a pet store, but caught it in the wild or sold it to you wild, you will be disappointed: wild birds remain wild, and rarely delight their owners with their singing.
Tropical parula, 13 cm
The tropical parula is a tiny bird of prey. Representatives of this species inhabit the forests of the South American continent. Most often, bright and sonorous tropical parulas can be seen on the Amazon coast. They are distinguished from other birds by their yellow breast, blue back and wings.
Tropical parulas spend most of their time searching for food and raising offspring. Both adults and chicks feed on spiders, flies and caterpillars, and occasionally their diet includes berries and fruit juice.
Finch
The chaffinch's singing is melodic, beautiful and cheerful - it is often confused with the song of the nightingale. A typical chaffinch song is a rolling trill ending with a “stroke” - a specific loud short sound. The finch tolerates captivity quite well, but never becomes such a tame bird as the siskin. In finches, only males sing. It is quite easy to distinguish a male from a female: males have a reddish breast, and their head and neck are decorated with bluish plumage in the warm season; females have a discreet brownish-green color.
Western Nightingale
A small bird from a huge order of passerines is one of the most famous singers of our planet. The nightingale's mesmerizing song is a series of repeated clicks and whistles that form a beautiful melody.
Each element of the nightingale song, which is called a “knee,” can be repeated up to 12 times. He may scream loudly, but his scream is a rather low-pitched “fiuit-trrr.” Experts from various fields of science agree that the nightingale song is the most beautiful natural sound of nature.
Nightingales have settled all over the planet, and the expanses of the European north are considered their homeland. From this part of the planet they settled to other continents.
Amadina
The zebra finch is one of the most popular ornamental birds today. It is often also presented as a songbird, but finches have a rather specific voice, and not everyone will like their song: finches make sounds that resemble buzzing, grumbling, whistling, chirping, and sometimes hissing. Moreover, they sing especially loudly and actively early in the morning. However, thanks to their variegated coloring, finches look very impressive and exotic; they are quite active and funny. Despite their apparent friendliness, finches do not accept human hands; they prefer to live side by side with their own kind - a large company or a couple. Therefore, finches are perfect for constantly busy and working people as a pet.
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mourning cockatoo
A large cockatoo with expressive black plumage with a characteristic yellow spot on the tail. This species is found throughout south-eastern Australia, preferring to live in forested areas.
Black cockatoos are known for their loud calls. They usually make high-pitched contact calls such as "kee-ay...kee-ay...kee-ay". These loud sounds can be heard over a long distance.
The birds live in small groups of 2-3 individuals, and use loud sounds to communicate with each other. Sounds are produced in different tones and strengths. Soft sounds are used when searching for food and during mating games, but loud and sharp sounds warn of danger.
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Wild birds that are acceptable to keep at home
Birds raised in captivity are well adapted to living conditions inside a house or apartment. But there are also those that can be taken home from natural conditions without much harm to them. You can keep the birds listed below at home.
Finches
This is a small bird with red-gray feathers. Their beautiful appearance makes finches an attractive songbird to keep at home. Of course, they have good voice abilities. A male finch can produce up to ten different melodies and trills.
Keeping them at home is not difficult: finches feed on all kinds of small seeds, including flaxseed, parts of plants, and small bugs.
Siskins
These cute birds, despite their small stature, have good intelligence, which can be compared, for example, with the Amazon. The siskin knows its habitat - the cage where its food and toilet are located, and practically does not violate the boundaries set by humans: it does not need to be caught throughout the apartment, it returns to its home itself and does not leave marks on the floor or furniture. In addition, this feathered friend is an excellent singer and delights its owners with cheerful trills if it is in good health and mood.
To ensure a comfortable living, the siskin needs a reservoir of water where it can clean its feathers and bathe. You can also add a little sand to his feeder: it helps the bird grind hard seed particles in the esophagus.
Goldfinches
Dapperly colored, these birds have the ability to produce up to twenty different variants of trills, and the females sing more beautifully than the males.
In nature, they feed on seeds, midges, and plant foods. You can feed domestic goldfinches the same way, after consulting with a specialist.
Starling
Typically, starlings make their nests in birdhouses specially built by people, and are famous as the most active insect killers.
But in captivity, these songbirds are able to live with no less success. They get used to people and love communication. You can even use a tamed starling for household purposes - to kill insects indoors. These birds are also able to imitate human speech, learning a few words.
Lark
The well-known morning singer does not take root very well in captivity. He is shy and does not adapt well to people. However, with sufficient freedom (a large enclosure), the lark can be adapted to life indoors. These birds imitate the voices of other birds well, and their songs consist of them and their own trills.
Bullfinch
These brightly colored representatives of birds do not have a particularly sonorous voice; their singing sounds like a squeak. Nevertheless, hobbyists keep bullfinches at home - mostly for aesthetic reasons. After all, their bright red breasts are pleasing to the eye and lift your spirits.
Since the bullfinch is a winter inhabitant of the middle zone, it is unpretentious in food. It readily feeds on sunflower, apple, and flower seeds. It tames quite quickly.
Nightingale
Perhaps the most beloved songbirds of people can also be domesticated. The coloring of these birds is dim, their size is small, but their singing is very beautiful and varied.
Nightingales are kept in spacious cages and fed a mixture of seeds and dried fruits.
Oatmeal
The yellow sparrow-sized bird likes to live in a spacious cage, otherwise it will not sing. From time to time you should take it out into the air and expose it to the sun. If this is not done, the bunting's plumage becomes dull and pale. The bottom of the cage should be covered with river sand for better adaptation.
Wren, 12 cm
Another name for the bird is rootstock or nutcracker. It is the only representative of the wren family. You can meet the tiny creature in the countries of America, Eurasia and the north of the African continent.
Wrens are distinguished by their loud singing, which is similar to the chirping of a canary. They settle in deciduous forests, where there is a lot of dead wood, dry grass and shrubs. Occasionally, birds build nests in reeds near water bodies, on the roofs of abandoned houses and barns. Wrens feed on invertebrates, insects, berries and small fish. If threatened, they fall to the ground and hide in the grass.
The hardiest bird is the arctic duck. It easily survives temperatures down to -100 degrees Celsius.
Description
The size is slightly larger than an ordinary starling: length 24-25 cm, wingspan about 45 cm, weight 50-90 g. The body is somewhat elongated. There is well-defined sexual dimorphism in color: males and females are noticeably different from each other. The male's plumage is golden yellow with black wings and a black tail. Small yellow spots are visible along the edge of the tail, as well as on the wings. From the beak to the eye there is a black stripe called the “frenulum” - depending on the subspecies, it may or may not extend behind the eyes (see picture). The female has a greenish-yellow upperparts and whitish underparts with dark longitudinal streaks. The wings are greenish-gray. The beak of both sexes is brown or reddish-brown, quite long and strong. The iris is red. Young birds are more similar to the female, but are distinguished by duller, motley and darker plumage below. A very mobile bird, quickly and silently jumps from branch to branch in the dense foliage of trees. The flight is fast and undulating, like that of woodpeckers or blackbirds. The average flight speed is 40-47 km/h, although males in pursuit of each other can reach 70 km/h. Rarely flies out into the open, although males sometimes pose sitting on a branch during the mating season.
Song and cries of an oriole, Novgorod region
Vocalization includes several different variations. Sometimes it emits a sharp and completely unmusical cry, reminiscent of the meowing of a frightened cat. From afar you can hear the low melodic whistle of a bird, reminiscent of the sounds of a flute and consisting of 3-4 syllables: “fiu-liu-li.” From a distance, it is almost impossible to make out another typical oriole call: a series of abrupt, creaking “gigigigigi” sounds, like those of falcons.
Golden-headed cisticola, 10 cm
The bird lives in Asia, Australia and the islands of Oceania. Locals call the golden-headed cisticola the tailor bird because it uses the web of large arachnids to build its nest. This material is highly adhesive and holds leaves, twigs and dry grass well. The bird is easily distinguished from other species of small birds by the cluster of feathers above the beak, bright yellow plumage with dark spots and light down. Golden-headed cisticolas feed on insects and plant foods.
Finch
Answering the question of how to choose a songbird to keep at home, we can safely recommend the finch.
This bird has a reddish breast with a gray tint (the female has a brownish one) and grayish feathers on the head and neck. Wings with black and white splashes.
The singing of a finch (and, like the canary, only males sing) is a long and melodious trill with a peculiar rolling “stroke” at the end. Moreover, there may be ten or so individual special trills in the repertoire of this little singer. In terms of virtuosity, the chaffinch's singing is compared to a nightingale. It is known that in Europe, lovers and keepers of finches even organize competitions and tournaments, presenting their favorites. The winners receive quite large rewards.
The finch, like all granivorous small birds, in captivity can be fed with canary mixture, which is sold in pet stores. Sometimes crushed boiled eggs and dried white bread are added to it, as well as caterpillars and worms.
Banana warbler, 11 cm
Another name for the bird is sugar. It is characterized by a bright yellow belly, a long, curved key and a white stripe on the temples. A special feature of the banana warbler is its ability to remain in one position for a long time while collecting flower nectar. The bird's tongue resembles a snake's and is covered with small scales. They allow large quantities of nectar to be licked from plants. The banana warbler's diet also includes small insects, seeds, berries and food waste left by humans.
"Extra" chromosome
Not long ago, a hypothesis appeared that thanks to this chromosome, songbirds were able to spread throughout the globe. The existence of an additional chromosome in the germ cells of songbirds was confirmed by biologists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk and St. Petersburg Universities, as well as the Siberian Ecological Center.
Scientists compared the DNA of 16 species of songbirds (from 9 families, including bullfinches, siskins, tits and swallows) and 8 species from other orders, which included parrots, chickens, geese, ducks and falcons.
Fact. It turned out that non-singing species, which are also more ancient (with an experience of being on Earth for over 35 million years), have one less chromosome than singing ones, which appeared on the planet later.
By the way, for the first time an “excess” chromosome was found back in 1998 in a zebra finch, but this was attributed to individual characteristics. Later (2014), an additional chromosome was discovered in the Japanese finch, which made ornithologists think twice.
Russian biologists have suggested that the additional chromosome was formed more than 30 million years ago, and its evolution varied among all songbirds. And although the role of this chromosome in the development of song passerines is not entirely clear, scientists believe that it expanded the adaptive capabilities of birds, allowing them to settle on almost all continents.
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Quezal
It is a recognized symbol of Guatemala, which is noticeable by the name of the national currency - the quetzal. Among the representatives, males especially stand out. Nature has endowed them with rich emerald colored feathers with gold accents. At the ends of the wings, the plumage turns into dark black and blue shades, which gives the quezal a nobility.
Hummingbird Bee, 6 cm
The hummingbird, nicknamed the bee, is the smallest bird on the planet. The body length of a mature individual reaches 6 centimeters, and its weight does not exceed two grams. At the same time, the creature's heart beats at a speed of 500 beats in 60 seconds. The bee hummingbird lives in swampy areas in Cuba, on Juventud Island and on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. These miniature creatures eat only the nectar of 15 varieties of plants, including false damiana and golden plum (icaco).
Bustard
These birds of central Russia are common only near its southern border. The species is listed in the Red Book. The population was decimated by hunting. Of the European flying birds, the bustard is the largest. There is not just a lot of meat, it is also tasty. It is not surprising that the only way to stop hunting was through bans.
In case of danger, bustards do not even cry out. Representatives of the species are mute. But bustards have keen eyesight and a bright appearance, reminiscent of a turkey. In the photo, the birds of the middle zone appear massive.
Males are larger, weighing 15-20 kilograms. The weight of females does not exceed 8 kilos. The female gender walks without a mustache. Males have them; they consist, of course, of feathers. The birds' heads are medium-sized, gray with a short beak. The powerful neck and body are variegated. Black, white, and red feathers alternate. The result is a ribbed pattern.
Bustards are birds of central Russia that take off only with a running start. Dimensions make it difficult to take off from a standstill. Such slowness was to the advantage of the hunters, contributing to the rapid reduction in the number of bustards.
Bustard bird
Buffy hummingbird, 8.5 cm
Another name for the bird is red selasphorus. This is the only species of hummingbird that flies into Russia. The range of the buffy hummingbird is North America, Alaska, Mexico. Occasionally they are found in Chukotka, Ratmanov and Wrangel islands.
The birds have a soft and quiet voice that is difficult to hear from a great distance, a long beak for collecting nectar, and colorful feathers. The color of the plumage includes white, gray, red, green and brown. At the moment of eating nectar, the buffy hummingbird hovers in flight and makes a buzzing sound.
Berlepsheva forest star, 7 cm
The bird is endemic to the Ecuador region. It received its name in honor of the ornithologist from Germany Hans von Berlepsch. Berlepsheva forest stars are found in humid tropical and subtropical forests. They are rarely seen within Ecuador's Machalilla National Park or along the Ayampe River coast. Due to its miniature size and bright plumage, locals call it an elf. The closest relative of the bird is the sharp-tailed forest star.
The largest bird on the planet is the albatross. Its wingspan is over 3.5 meters.
Landrail
The corncrake's voice is also devoid of melody. Forest birds of the middle zone are codling and are often mistaken for frogs. When you find the source of the sound, you see a bird weighing about 150 grams.
The bird's body is slightly flattened, colored in gray, brown and black tones. On an inconspicuous background there are 2 short wings. They are able to lift a bird into the air. This rarely happens. Crake does not like to fly.
It is difficult to see the corncrake. Representatives of the species are exceptionally shy, see, hear well and, apparently, sense the situation. Its corncrakes probe wet meadows with tall grass, where they settle. The search for birds is also complicated by their nocturnal lifestyle. Even under the cover of darkness, corncrakes move close to the ground. The birds lower their necks and chests towards it.
Finally, let’s reveal the secret of the crakes’ flattened body. Lateral compression reduces air resistance when running. Not accustomed to flying away from danger, birds rely on the strength of their legs and the laws of physics.
Crake bird
American Siskin (Carduelis tristis)
This small migratory bird is widely distributed throughout much of North America. American Siskins prefer forest edges, plains, fields, floodplains and orchards. They are often attracted to areas with high concentrations of thistles, aster and other foliage plants.
Their size ranges from 11 to 13 cm in length and from 11 to 20 grams in weight. Females are slightly duller than the colorful males. Male siskins are bright yellow during the breeding season. They have yellow or gold feathers around the throat, upper back and belly. Their wings, tails and crowns are glossy black. You can also see white spots above the tail, which usually appear on males after molting and in their summer plumage. American Siskins have conical, pointed beaks that are ideal for eating seeds, weeds and even pine cones.
American Siskins are diurnal and usually gather in small groups. They exhibit the typical undulating flight of finches. American Siskins are nomadic, often settling in place for short periods of time before moving on again. During the winter, they migrate from the southern Canadian border to the United States and Mexico.
gray heron
Its wingspan reaches 2 meters. At the same time, the bird weighs no more than 2.5 kilograms. The thin, graceful body is elongated by 90-100 centimeters. The heron's beak is compared to a dagger, it is so big.
The heron's head is elongated, visually appearing longer than its actual size. A visual illusion is created by a bunch of feathers, extending the composition like a braid. Tufts of feathers also hang from the long neck of the gray heron. The neck, by the way, is white. There are black markings on the abdomen and head. The rest of the plumage is gray, hence the name of the species.
In Russia, herons stay for 6-7 months. They fly to Africa for the winter. They always return to their previous nesting sites. Therefore, it is important to preserve them. The destruction of nesting sites turns heron colonies away from Russian open spaces.
Sometimes birds stay on them in winter, testing their strength. With heavy snowfalls and bitter cold, birds die. However, the desire of gray herons to stay in Russia gives the right to call them migratory only in part.
The species is listed in the Red Book. The conservation status is associated with a widespread decline in the number of gray herons. They are especially helpless in childhood. The chicks are born without feathers and cannot walk. Herons stand on their feet in the 3rd week of life, remaining vulnerable for another couple of years. At this time, most of the young animals die.
gray heron
