Teal-cod: lifestyle, reproduction, photo

Teal-cod is one of the smallest species of duck. This bird usually eschews people, so it is not easy for scientists to study its habits and way of life under natural conditions. Nevertheless, some data still managed to be collected.

During the observations of the chitter-cassock, it was possible to establish his favorite habitats, what he eats, how he builds nests and grows offspring. If you want to learn more about this mysterious feather creation, which you will most likely never encounter in real life, read this article to the end.

Appearance

The average teal weighs only 300-400 grams, and its body length usually does not exceed 40 cm. If you accidentally see a bird flying fast and with good maneuverability in a distance, a small size and a brown color - this may well be a teal teal. The female has the same color all year round: its feathers create a brown-beige ripple. In both sexes of cheetahs, the beak and paws are painted gray.

The head and neck of the male are covered with brown feathers, the belly and the podhvoste are white with dark impregnations, and the upper trunk is gray-brown. It is interesting that during the mating season feathers over the male's eyes are painted white, forming a crescent shape. On the wings at a swing, gray-blue mirrors with a white border are clearly traced. Young growth of chirk-cod is almost impossible to distinguish from females.

Habitat

Chirka-tskusunka can be found on the territory of Europe and Asia, which lies in temperate latitudes. However, they hibernate, gathering large flocks in the territory of India, Australia, Indochina, the southern part of the African continent and the Mediterranean countries.

The croc-teal likes to settle by the water. The best place for him is a small open reservoir surrounded by dense vegetation, near which the meadow is located. Sometimes a bird can arrange a nest and away from the river, but it certainly will not choose mountain or forest areas.

Nutrition and habits

The basis for feeding the teal chash is food of animal origin. They are usually mollusks, worms, crustaceans, fish fry and caviar, leeches, insects and their larvae. To supplement your diet teal can rice, sorrel, sedge and various seeds. He has to do this when the moulting season comes and he can not fly.

From warm areas to the nest is a teal (the flight photo is presented at the end of the article) later than other relatives, and flies to wintering ahead of everyone. His flight is usually quiet and maneuverable. The female chirka-Treskunka is usually silent and only occasionally makes quacking. But the male fully justifies his name - he quite often produces an inimitable crack. Some compare the sound of a teal with a sound that can be heard when you hold your fingers over the teeth of a plastic scallop.

Marriage period

Like almost every other duck, the teal teal reaches sexual maturity already in the first year of life, but the nesting returns only in the second year. Depending on the habitat, different flocks of chirch flies to the nest from late March to May. They immediately break up into pairs and begin their marriage games.

The drake swims around the female with the beak lowered into the water, sharply throws back her head, bends her to one side, or shakes her. He ruffles his feathers and can demonstrate the wingspan slightly rising above the water. All this is accompanied by the published male typical loud snap. The female also behaves unusually during this period: she twitches her head, cleans her feathers from behind and softly croaks.

Nesting and nesting

Usually in high growths near the water suits its own teal nest. The photo below illustrates a cozy nest created by caring feathered parents from dry grass for the expected offspring. You can distinguish a nest of a teal chaser by interwoven with white feathers with brown impregnations along its perimeter.

Each year, the teal teal, creating a couple, leaves behind a progeny that has an average of 8-9 individuals. The maximum laying out of the female is 14 eggs. On eggs that have a light or dark brown color, only the female sits. The incubation process takes an average of 22-23 days. At this time the drake goes to molt. After 35-40 days, the chicks are able to fly.

Number of

At the present time, the chirk-chaser is not threatened with extinction. However, from the 70s to the 90s of the last century there was a sharp drop in the population of this species in the countries of the former USSR and Western Europe. The reasons for this situation include the structures of reservoirs and dams, as well as the drying up of reservoirs on which teal likes to settle.

Behind the chirping chamomile, a large number of cases were noted, when, after being frightened off, he threw the masonry for good. In other cases, when the danger is concealed, the female freezes and becomes completely invisible, because of which the masonry is often crushed. All this is the reason that there are very few cassocks in places where people live.

Content in captivity and hunting

In captivity, chirk-cod is very rare. They are fed with sunflower seeds, corn, oats, millet or mixed fodders. They are thermophilic, so winter birds should be sheltered from the cold and drafts. In captivity, they quickly get used to people. Contain these birds for pond and hunting decoration.

Home-made chirks are used as a duck for ducks when hunting wild cassocks and whistles. Hearing the voice of their congeners, the teals decide that the place from which it comes is safe and fodder. Having seen and heard similar ones, they boldly advance towards them, for the joy of hunters.

Teal-cod is a small bird, which can rarely be seen live, as it eschews people. So far, fortunately, the survival of these birds is almost nothing threatened. They are not of much interest to hunters, they are rarely bred in captivity, they are not affected by deforestation, and they survive the cold winters in warm regions.