Without birds, the world would not be so bright and original. A huge number of birds live on our planet, and as they are numerous, they are as diverse. And how they sing - any singer can envy with jagged bird trills! How often, sitting in the summer on the open veranda, we listened with pleasure to the sounds of a summer night filled with bird voices. And for some reason, at night, bird voices especially touch the heart. And it happens that the nightingale trill is replaced by the alarming hoot of an owl or the frightening cry of an owl - the soul “leaves its heels” from such sounds.
Birds of prey
Among birds, as well as among mammals, there are predators. And as among all predators, there are those who lead a day lifestyle and who prefer to arrange hunting at night. Night birds attract people with their mystery, because they cannot be found during the day, but at night … Few of us dare to go for a walk in the night forest or park. Therefore, these feathered nocturnal predators are overgrown with legends - birds hiding from daylight. Eighteen species of nocturnal birds live on the territory of Russia, the most common of them: gray owl, barn owl, owl, eagle owl, white or polar owl.
Owl gray
This bird is part of the genus owls. And it should be noted that this species is very numerous: the Great Gray Owl, the Great Gray Owl, the Great Gray Owl, and others. This type of owl is most common in our country. If you had to meet an owl in the forest, then most likely it was an owl. This nocturnal predator is small (smaller than a crow) and has a nondescript gray color. The gray plumage is crossed out with black strokes, and there are white spots on the shoulders. You can also recognize the gray owl by the voice: the female emits a deep bass trill, and the male calls the female with a long “huh hu huuuu” or shouts “ki-vi” piercingly. These nocturnal birds live in deciduous forests and old city parks. Gray owl hunts for small birds and rodents, not averse to feast on large insects. All owls are exclusively nocturnal predators - birds catch prey only at night, it is almost impossible to meet her hunting day.
Barn owl
This bird belongs to the family of barn owls, the genus of barn Owls. These birds settled throughout Russia, with the exception of the Far North. The fact is that this bird does not accumulate subcutaneous fat at all, and therefore prefers not to settle in areas with a harsh Arctic climate. Barn Owl is a small bird the size of a jackdaw. The size of the body is thirty-five to thirty-eight centimeters. The barn owl has a very slim body and long legs. The plumage is soft and fluffy. The barn Owls differ in color - it all depends on the habitat. As a rule, the upper part of the body is red-red, and the lower one is both white and yellow. Barn Owls, like all night birds, feed on small rodents and birds. In the afternoon, these birds sleep. For the night, choose natural niches: hollows and crevices in trees, can settle in attics and in old bird nests.
Owl
This bird is very modest in size. Body length not more than twenty centimeters. But despite this, the owl is a very good hunter and can catch prey the size of a little smaller than himself. The color of the plumage is dark brown with white spots, the legs are white feathers. This bird is widespread throughout our country. An owl is a nocturnal bird, but it can also be found during the day. The bird sees well not only at night and will never admit a person to itself. If you frighten away a feathered bird from its place of residence, it will fly low above the ground. I must say that the owl, although it belongs to nocturnal predators, can hunt in the evening twilight and even during the day. Prefers mice, small insectivores, reptiles and birds. At night, an owl can be recognized by the characteristic cry of "Ku-wit, Ku-wit." This bird nests in crevices, hollows of trees, rotten stumps, in the attics of houses and even in haystacks. A couple of owls create for life.
Owl
An eagle owl is a fairly large bird of the order of owls, a genus of eagle owls, which spread throughout Europe, is found in Asia and Africa. It prefers inaccessible dense forests, steppes, where there is an opportunity to hide from prying eyes. The length of an eagle owl reaches seventy-five centimeters. It weighs from two to four kilograms. The upper part of the body is painted in a reddish-brown color with dark spots, the lower one is the color of light ocher. Feathers stick out over the eyes of the bird, which many take for ears. Paws feathered to the claws. The plumage is very soft and loose, so the owl’s flight is almost silent. This bird is an excellent hunter - even a mouse cannot hide from a keen look even in the night. And sharp claws and a strong beak will not miss prey. Eagle owls lead a sedentary lifestyle and, even hunting, do not fly away from their homes. These birds are loners, and only in the mating season are paired.
Polar owl
This bird is the largest of the order of owls that live in the tundra. Females are larger than males. The body size in length reaches seventy and sixty-five centimeters, respectively, and weight - from two and a half to three kilograms. The color of the plumage is white with dark dots. This coloring makes it possible to merge with the environment in winter. The polar or white owl is a very good hunter. The main diet of her diet is lemmings. During the year, the owl eats more than one thousand six hundred lemmings. Also catches hares, ermines, pikas and other small animals. This bird has a very interesting hunting tactic: it lies in wait for prey, sitting on the ground, and as soon as the careless animal comes closer, it rushes at it with lightning speed.
What birds singing is heard on summer nights in the suburbs?
But not only their hunting habits are interesting night birds - singing birds are also of interest. Indeed, more than once, having heard the wonderful trills of a night bird, we were eager to find out who this night singer was. This is especially true for residents of megacities, where the hum of cars drowns the voices of nature. The singing night birds of the Moscow Region are, as a rule, nightingales and garden reeds. Everyone probably heard the trout of the nightingale. But few can boast that he met this midnight singer in the wild. This bird has a completely inconspicuous gray plumage, and even meeting it in the garden or forest, you can hardly guess that this is the same midnight artist who did not let you sleep with his thrilling trills. Singing of reeds is less bright - this bird takes over the sounds of other birds to a greater extent. A characteristic sound for her is the “check-check” twitter. She lives in the floodplains of the rivers, along the banks of ponds and in gardens.
