Splash - an owl that sings

Splash - an owl of small size, the length of which is from 16 to 21 cm. The weight of this bird does not exceed 120 grams. Despite its small size, its wingspan is 50 cm wide. Its color is modest, most often gray-brown. Sometimes you can meet individuals of a rusty color. Most owls have dark pestriny and stripes, which helps them to merge with the bark of trees. On their head are two fairly large bundles of earpieces, which, when frightened or otherwise excited, rise and resemble peculiar horns. Beak and claws have a dark brown color. The legs of the bird also have a feather covering (except for the fingers).

As for the habitat, the spittle is an owl, which prefers mixed, often sparse forests, fruit trees, separately standing in the fields, abandoned gardens. It can also be found in vineyards. This owl does not fear the man, therefore, quite often settles with him in close proximity, for example, in city parks. Spittle in Russia, as a rule, is a migratory bird. Most often it can be seen in the southern territories of the country, from the western borders to Baikal. For the winter period, it can fly to tropical countries, for example, to Africa, to the territory located to the south of the Sahara desert.

Splash - a night owl. In the daytime you will not meet her. After wintering, it arrives in the first days of March on the southern territories of Russia, and in mid-April it can already be found in the rest of the country. You can find out about her arrival on the first quiet night, when she starts to give a marriage voice, which is a monotonous unhurried cry of the male in different keys. For 1 minute the bird makes up to 20 signals, resembling "sleep-sleep" sounds. It is for this reason that this species got its name. In addition to the singing of males, you can hear the singing of a female whose voice is much rougher.

By the good-natured appearance that has a spittle - an owl (see photo above), you never will think that this little bird, if necessary, is able to frighten its enemy. Thus, when protecting its nest with masonry or chicks, with an approaching foreign object, it clings with one paw to the nest from the bottom, while spreading its wings wide like a butterfly. At this time, her head is pressed to the back of her head, and her eyes become motionless. The second paw she keeps ready to attack under the wing.

In terms of nutrition, the owl-snipe is unpretentious. Its prey is small animals, for example, lizards or frogs. In addition, its food is large night butterflies or beetles. She hunts in the dusk. For chicks, the female also does not conduct any special selection in food. During the incubation period, the female feeds the male, having previously notified the hunt with its whistle. Catching prey, he passes it from the beak to the beak, as if kissing the female. Among other food, spittle can eat grated carrots, cottage cheese, buckwheat porridge.

By nature, the spittle is a night owl. It can occupy both natural niches, and settle in hollows of woodpeckers. In the absence of a suitable place for housing can accommodate and in the nest magpies. His eggs spit on laying somewhere 30 days after arrival. In most cases, the masonry consists of 4-5 eggs of white color, very rare 6 eggs. The incubation period is just over 20 days. After the birth of the chicks, the male takes food for their feeding. Departure from the nest small spittle starts 20 days after its birth. All this period the family is friendly and inseparable, it breaks up only in August before the flight.