Garshnep - description, habitat, interesting facts

Under a snipe it is meant a bird of miniature size, which is hardly as long as 20 cm along the length of the body. It has a melodious voice and a small weight (only 40 grams). This lists the characteristics of individual adults. In reality, the average bird in length grows to 12 cm and weighs up to 30 grams. Garshnep is similar to waders, only it is smaller and more beautiful. But we will not immediately disclose all the cards so that you can form your own opinion after the material studied.

Description

1. Birds living in the natural environment have some differences when compared with sandpipers. The presented individuals are interestingly painted, in the area of ​​the back there are strips of green-yellow shade. These patterns can be found on the wings of a bird. The rest of the body does not have longitudinal lines, but there is a pattern of beige-brown tones.
2. In terms of their color, these birds are similar to the forest snipe, which belongs to the family of snipe. Individuals of the species under discussion like to hide their necks; they hide in thick plumage.Therefore, it may seem that the head is too small in comparison with the body and looks inharmonious.
3. These birds have short beaks and paws. In general, the body is proportional when the bird does not hide its neck (otherwise it looks that the head is immediately attached to the body). Individuals do not have great love for flying, try to flit in the air as little as possible. But when they rise up, they become like bats.
4. Birds do not fly for long, so they risk being hit. They rise for a short time into the sky, then sit down again. This is used by all the hunters, because the meat is delicious and is considered a real delicacy. Fortunately, the bird in many areas of stay is included in the Red Book (Yaroslavl, Smolensk, etc.), so it has a certain protective status.
5. Birds are so slow not because they don’t want to fly. This is due to the fearlessness of the birds in relation to all kinds of sounds. Partly for this reason, they stand on the wing when they are practically attacked. Interestingly, the garshneps practically do not tweet. They are by nature silent, can sing except during mating and the mating season in particular.

Habitat and lifestyle

1. It is worth noting an amazing fact, the considered individuals live exclusively in sphagnum and grassy marshes. It is in this kind of environment that the garnish stars hide from all kinds of danger and predators. Presented birds belong to the wandering and migratory individuals.
2. While gathering food, waders move from place to place. As soon as the migration period begins, the birds leave for the muddy shores of the calm water bodies. On the territory of the Russian Federation, these individuals are most often found in the Tver, Yaroslavl and Kirov regions.
3. The habitat of individuals varies greatly, especially in the southern part. It is worth noting that in this case the birds try to nest in isolation. The considered individuals prefer the northern regions. It is in such places that the species is most common.
4. As soon as the cold season comes, such birds begin to migrate to Spain, Mesopotamia, France and Africa. It is worth noting that most of the population prefers to stay on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Often individuals live in the mouth of the Kolyma.
5. It is in the area represented that the number of this species increases significantly. Unfortunately, in Japan there is a completely opposite picture. In the land of the rising sun, the number of birds is greatly reduced.

Nutrition

1. Do not forget that the individuals considered are rather small in size. That is why birds hunt for very small prey. The basis of the diet of birds includes various larvae, insects, mollusks and crustaceans.
2. In addition, the birds feed on the seeds of marsh plants and their leaves. As a result, individuals can stay in Russia constantly near reservoirs that do not freeze in winter. In such places, birds with no problems can find algae, seeds and crustaceans.
3. As for plant food, the individuals in question prefer horsetail, sedge, and reed. Such plants serve birds not only as food, but also as shelters.
4. The bottom line is that these individuals blend in color with the local environment. Therefore, it is almost impossible to notice them. In the same places in birds and nesting occurs.

A surprising fact is that the voice of the individuals in question is heard at a distance of up to half a kilometer. Separately, it is worth mentioning that such birds start mating games on dull and quiet days. Couples begin to float in the air, crafting various shapes.

Video: aroons (Lymnocryptes minimus)