These small birds of the order Falconiformes are now rarely found in the vastness of our homeland. Steppe lun - the so-called endangered bird species, which is nevertheless worthy of close study. Let's look at how it differs from relatives, why the population is decreasing.
It may happen that a light-gray bird will fly right under the traveler’s feet. If he wandered through the fields of the Trans-Urals, then with a high degree of probability it can be argued that he met with a now rare representative of the hawk family. It is called steppe harrier. He is quite different from his relatives.
Appearance
Steppe lun (photo presented in the article) is colored unevenly. The upper plumage is gray. The bottom is usually pure white. Females are larger and lighter than males. Experts consider representatives of this species to be “the most slender” of all hawks. Especially from brethren, this species is distinguished by narrow wings, which have a wingspan of up to one hundred and twenty centimeters. In flight, this resident of the steppe can be confused with a seagull. Only upon close inspection does this visibility melt rapidly. Steppe lun has a completely different plumage. Most of all it can be characterized by the word "pockmarked". In general, the blue color is interspersed with dark spots, more noticeable on the wings. The female has a white “collar” and the same “eyebrows”. I must say that the light plumage color is not bright, but muted.
Habitat
Steppe Lun settles, as the name implies, among the fields. He prefers an uninhabited area, so now he can be found only in the Trans-Urals. In the Ciscaucasia, Southern Siberia and the European part, it is also found, but extremely rare. Sometimes nests in highlands, tundra. These birds enjoy swampy areas abundant in vegetation. There, having picked up a place where there is a little moisture, they arrange nests. Hawks perfectly mask their "settlements" so as not to become natural prey for other predators. They do not live in pairs, but in small groups. Nests are usually located up to a hundred meters apart. In an impromptu “settlement” you can count up to six pairs. Steppe lun can be found in the mountains. Only there he lives on flat "tundra" sites.
Nests
Hawks during the breeding season build characteristic houses. For this, a hole up to five centimeters deep is dug in the ground. The nest itself is laid out with soft herbs. Around, as a rule, a “protective redoubt” is constructed of coarser stems. Thin twigs, reeds or other are used. Most often, a couple builds its nest among the vegetation, near a swamp or source. Less commonly, it can be found in the open steppe (uninhabited). If a couple has chosen to live on the outskirts of the cultivated field, then, most likely, the nest will construct uprooted bushes and grasses among the dried up rubble. That is, where the female sitting on the nest, no one will disturb.
Progeny
Like any bird of prey of the falcon family, the lunar lays up to six eggs. Most often, they are from two to four. The female does not leave the clutch until the chicks are born. When a threat occurs, both parents try to protect the offspring, fearlessly attacking the "aggressor". They try to lure him away from the nest. Chicks appear after 28 days. Almost another month and a half they need constant parental care. The male feeds his girlfriend all the time during breeding, then the brood. The survival rate of offspring does not exceed fifty percent. Toddlers are easy prey for predators, despite the constant care of the female. The first few days they are covered with bright fluff, so that they are visible from afar. Then the color of the plumage changes.
