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Common Redstart - a small bird, differs from its relatives by the beauty of the color of plumage. Belongs to the order passeriformes. Many inhabitants are familiar with other names for this unusual bird - a garden redstart or a coot.
The length of the body of the redstart does not exceed 150 mm, the wingspan is 240 mm, and the maximum body weight of this little bird is about 25 grams.
Species habitat
Although this species can be found in almost any country, nevertheless, the most common redstart population in southeast Asia, India, the Eurasian continent. Feathers of this species give particular preference to mountainous terrain, but often settle in a pine forest. Also, ordinary deciduous and mixed forests, abundant in dense shrub and grass vegetation, are also suitable for bird living. The main wintering ground for the redstart is the African continent.
To date, there are several varieties of redstart, with the main difference between them is the color of the feather dress, which differs from other types of birds in greater brightness and richness of colors.
The tail of the redstart is of an ordinary bright red color, the rest of the feather cover is white, black or metallic gray. The color of the plumage of the male is somewhat brighter than that of the female.
In the cold season, the tips of the feathers of the male become whitish. I would like to note that the garden redstart is a rather active and sociable bird that is constantly on the move.
Power Features
Quite interesting is the direct process of obtaining and subsequent eating of food. Before eating its prey, the bird must first take it to a safe place where no one will disturb it at the meal.
If the prey of the bird is quite large, for example, a beetle - in order to stun it, the redstart drops it from a height to the ground, and then finishes it with a small sharp beak. To smaller insects and grasshoppers, birds of this species first pinch off their legs, and then eat them.
The food that is obtained by the bird to feed its offspring is first crushed into small pieces, only after that it is sent to feed the chicks.
Features of propagation of the species
The best place for nesting of the Redstart is a hollow tree, sometimes these birds build their nests under the roof of various buildings. Often there are nests of this species of birds, erected in the root system of large trees, which is especially convenient for its reliable fixing. As a rule, for the construction of the nest, the bird uses such materials: dry twigs and vegetation, moss, sometimes found nearby human habitation, ropes, threads.
The male’s duty during the nesting period is to protect the place chosen for the nest’s construction from other birds and to clean it daily — removes everything that is not needed from the nest in the beak.
The female Redstart debugs its eggs in the second half of May, their number in one clutch reaches 6-8 pieces. Eggs of the correct form, delicate bluish color. The duration of incubation is about 2 weeks.After hatching, young chicks are in the nest under the supervision of their parents for about 3 more weeks.
Both parents are busy with the process of feeding offspring: both male and female each day they bring food to their chicks in the nest, while the number of such feed flights reaches several hundred. Feeding continues until the younger generation becomes independent and begins to fly.
The voice of the bird
Another feature of the bird, in addition to its original color of the feather dress, is the unique singing of the redstart, which can conditionally be divided into several successive parts: the introductory section, the culmination and the final part of the performed composition.
After observing the coot for some time, even an ordinary layman will be able to notice that this species of birds during the performance of their songs often mimics the sounds made by other birds.
Common Redstarts sing almost all the time, while taking a break only for a night's rest, the duration of which is literally several hours. At sunrise, little birds wake up and immediately begin to sing their amazing melodious songs. In fact, this bird got its name due to its spectacular appearance - feathers glowing brightly in the rays of the morning sun.
Interesting facts about the bird
- Such a bird as the common redstart is very useful for humans, due to the fact that it effectively destroys harmful insects that spoil the crop.
- If the bird sees its reflection in the mirror, it begins to attack it immediately.
- Redstart females, hunting for insects, prefer to hunt their prey on the surface of the earth, and male coots, as a rule, catch insects in the air.
- Birds of this species have been seen to be able to care for offspring of other bird species, for example, small cuckoo chicks. At the same time, they not only get the food they need, but also teach them to fly and take care until the offspring have grown completely independent.
- Redstart are the most recognizable and interesting birds for human observation. Their original and bright color cannot be confused with any other species of birds.
Video: Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
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