The content of the article
A tap dance is a little bird that belongs to passerines. These birds got their name for singing features. It is very similar to the sound made during the performance of the tap. Translation of the name of the bird from Latin - a fiery thorn. This name they received due to their external features. The plumage on their chest is red. This individual belongs to the genus of goldfinches.
Description
This bird is very small. Body length barely reaches 15 cm. Adult bird has a wingspan of about 20 cm. It weighs only 15 g.
On the back of males the plumage is colored gray. In some individuals it is lighter, almost white. The head of the tapas is bright red. The beak is painted a rich yellow hue. The plumage in the region of the uppertail in representatives of this species is pink. But the coloring of the abdomen stands out the most. She has a crimson. Such a variety of bright colors make the bird very attractive. But this description applies only to males. Females do not boast such beauty.They have red plumage only at the crown. All other parts of the body are white.
You can distinguish a bird from other species by its unusual singing. It is very similar to the sound that is heard in the performance of the tap.
Habitat
Representatives of this species can be seen mainly in northern latitudes. They live in the territory of Eurasia, as well as in North America. You can meet tap dance even in Greenland. There are they in Russia. The bird can be seen in the northern areas.
The favorite habitats of the tap dance are deciduous forests. In the summer they can often be seen walking through the taiga. They spend the winter in warmer places, flying away from the cold weather. There they also choose mixed wood as their home. These birds are not afraid to approach people, so sometimes they can be seen in cities or villages.
Lifestyle
As soon as the flock feels any threat, the birds immediately take off, breaking from the branch. But when they are convinced that the danger has passed, they can immediately return to their places, continuing to do their work.
The nest they build high on the tree. The bird chooses a place around which there are thickets that can disguise the nest well. Therefore, it is very difficult to detect it.
Sometimes these birds are kept at home. People are attracted by the bright appearance of the tap. The bird quickly gets used to the new conditions. Tap Dance, although small and beautiful, its singing is too monotonous, and can quickly get bored. For this reason, the maintenance of these birds at home is not very common.
Nutrition
They feed on these birds very diverse. The diet includes both vegetable and animal components. From plant foods, their favorite delicacy is tree seeds. They eat birch catkins, can eat seeds of spruce or lingonberry.
A favorite insect for a tap dance is aphid. But they can also eat many other species of insects that they come across in search of food.
If you still want to keep a tap at home, it is recommended to feed it with special foods that are intended for canaries. Overfeeding them can not. Otherwise, tap dancing will gain weight. This will reduce the life expectancy of the birds.
Breeding
The reproduction period of these birds begins in early spring, when the snow has not even melted yet. During this period, the males are particularly active. To attract a female, they begin to fly very quickly in a circle and constantly sing. In addition, the red plumage gets even brighter color.
When the female responds to these actions, a pair is formed. They immediately begin to arrange the nest. Most often they have it in the bushes.In one clutch, usually 6 eggs each. They have a green tint and are covered with dark specks.
The female is engaged in incubation. The period lasts about 14 days. The male takes care at this time, bringing the female food.
After the birth of the baby, the baby birds will stay in the nest for about 2 weeks. After that, they make the first flight attempts. Then the chicks learn to look for food for themselves. When all these skills are mastered, young individuals fly away from the parental nest. When they fly away, parents immediately begin to create another generation. For the year they lead offspring twice.
Juveniles that have just left the nest live in the same way as adult birds.
Content
Bird lovers are rarely taped. Although it is not difficult to care for them. Low popularity is associated with a monotonous song of a bird. But the appearance attracts so many.
It is recommended to keep together with the snappers or sissies. In such a combination of birds will be very interesting to watch. When kept in an open-air cage or garden, it is sometimes possible to get offspring of the tap. Fans cross them with other representatives of finch or canaries.But it is important to remember that in order to get successful offspring, it is necessary that the couple consist of a female tap dance and a canary. Otherwise, the chicks will die, not yet hatched, or shortly after the appearance. Very beautiful chicks are obtained by crossing with a red canary. Birds will have a bright color on the chest and a cap on the head. They will sing lively.
Interesting Facts
- The average life expectancy of representatives of this species of birds depends on the conditions in which they lived. During normal life in the wild, the tapworm lives for about 6-8 years. But sometimes they can live longer. With home keeping the bird lives longer. If you follow all the rules of care and recommendations on nutrition, the tap dance may well live in a cage for about 10 years.
- These birds are distinguished by their courage. They are not afraid of people at all. They can live very close to the houses. In winter, birds can often be seen in the park, where they look for food for themselves.
- Since the bird has very small dimensions, it is often a prey to predators. But this fact does not make them fearful. The tap dance still fly wherever they want, without fear of anything.
- Even in the days of Tsarist Russia, tap dancing were favorite birds of the nobility. About 200-300 of these birds lived near the royal palace.
- They are so fearless that a person can easily walk to the nest. In this case the bird will not show any concern. This feature distinguishes the tap from many others. If a person comes to the nest within a few days, the brave bird will get used to it so much that it will even be possible to stroke it.
Video: tap dance (Carduelis flammea)
To send