What is a bird like the Caucasian black grouse? What kind of lifestyle? Where does it live? What does it eat? How does it breed? Let's look at the description of the Caucasian black grouse with a photo, and also try to answer the above questions.
Habitat
The most numerous populations of the Caucasian black grouse are observed in the high mountains of the Caucasus, for which, in fact, the bird got its name. Representatives of the species are also found in adjacent regions, in particular on the expanses of the Armenian Highlands and the Pontic Mountains.
The life of the Caucasian black grouse, a photo of which can be seen in our article, takes place in the territories where the upper border of the forest is located. Below a height of about one and a half kilometers above sea level, the feathered bird prefers not to descend. Mostly Caucasian black grouse lives in thickets of shrubs, inhabits small groves.
Appearance
Starting the description of the Caucasian black grouse, it should be noted that the bird has a rather interesting appearance. Males have a dense plumage of a coal shade with a velvety sheen. According to their appearance, they resemble a black grouse. However, they differ from the latter by the presence of a black undertail and a white area in the area of the wings. The extreme tail is bent down.
It is noteworthy that the males of the Caucasian black grouse put on a black outfit only in the second year of life. Prior to this, they can hardly be distinguished from females. With the arrival of summer heat, the plumage of males at the throat turns white. The occipital part of the head and sides of the neck become brownish.
As for the females of the Caucasian black grouse, they have a brownish motley plumage with a reddish tint. They can be distinguished by a more modest size and sophisticated camp. If the weight of males can reach more than 900 grams, then females grow up to 700-800 grams.
Lifestyle
The behavior of male and female individuals of the Caucasian black grouse is significantly different. In summer, males undergo seasonal molting. Around July, their wings begin to lose feathers. However, the process absolutely does not affect the deterioration of the ability to fly. In September, the feathers of males are completely renewed and noticeably grow in length. It is worth noting that during molting, the roosters of the Caucasian black grouse prefer to hide in dense thickets and only occasionally go out in search of food. During this period, they climb far above their usual habitats.
Males are more active in the morning when they fly from their forest shelters to open spaces where they are looking for food. In such places flocks of black grouse usually form. By noon, the birds move closer to the water. Here is the second half of their day.
Grouped in flocks, the males are extremely careful. Hearing the approach of another living creature at a long distance, the birds immediately break away. To hide while searching for feeding roosters of Caucasian black grouse prefer in the dense tall grass.
Unlike males, females of the Caucasian black grouse do not make daily flights from place to place. They prefer to slowly move through highland meadows in search of food. Young animals are found in flocks with females. Their seasonal molting occurs a few weeks later compared to males.
Toking
The behavior of the Caucasian black grouse during mating is practically no different from the usual braid. The males, with their tail high, are located apart from each other in visible limits. Birds periodically perform jumps, turning around in the air. Battles between males in this case are extremely rare. During the currenting, animals flap their wings loudly, flip their beaks and reproduce wheezing throat sounds.
Food
What does a bird eat? The basis of the daily diet of the Caucasian grouse is vegetation. In summer, these birds prefer to eat mountain plantain, chamomile and buttercup, yellow hazel grouse, doronicum, alpine buckwheat. Most of all, unripe fruits and flowers of plants are to the taste of birds.
Insects become the prey of the species extremely rarely. Mostly young individuals that travel along green meadows with females prey on such prey.
With the advent of autumn, the Caucasian black grouse switches to eating blueberries and lingonberries. As soon as snow falls, the birds absorb the needles, as well as the juniper.
Breeding
The mating season of the Caucasian grouse starts in early spring. Birds do not form pairs. Only females are engaged in the construction of nests and hatching offspring. Typically, in clutches, there are about 5-8 eggs that have a grayish-yellow hue with brown spots. Females form nests in bushes or in small indentations under overhanging stones.
After passing several days after the birth of young animals, mothers leave their shelters, trying to climb higher into the expanses of mountain meadows. At the first danger, females try to turn the attention of predators from offspring to themselves, flying up with loud cries to the tree. In turn, the young in a hurry to hide quickly in dense thickets and lie low. As soon as danger passes, the female hurries to call the chicks back.
It is worth noting that grouse females are extremely caring for offspring. They show the chicks suitable food, walk with them to places where it is easier to find prey, in particular, young herbs and small insects.
Grouse gain weight and size slowly. A week after the birth of the chicks reach a mass of only 20-30 grams. Over the course of a month, they grow to no more than 200 grams. It is noteworthy that the chicks begin to learn to use wings already at a weekly age. About a month later they fly pretty well. During this period, females no longer have to deflect themselves. At the first need, the brood flies to a safe place with his mother.
Conservation status
These birds belong to the rapidly declining species. Currently, in the wild there are no more than 70 thousand individuals. In what book is Caucasian black grouse? The bird is protected by the Red Book of the Krasnodar Territory. There are a number of factors that affect the reduction in the number of species, which will be discussed later.
Why is the Caucasian black grouse in the Red Book? The reduction in the number of these birds is primarily affected by human activities. People resort to the active development of territories, which are the habitats and nests of black grouse. The problem is grazing in high mountains, laying roads, active hunting for such birds.
The Caucasian black grouse appeared in the Red Book also as a result of an increase in the number of predators in the natural environment. These birds are easy prey for numerous schools of wolves, carnivorous birds. The young growth of the black grouse is particularly affected, which often does not have the opportunity to hide from predators, flying up the trees. All of the above factors forced environmental organizations to give the Caucasian black grouse a special status.
