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A little gobie is a bird of prey, a genus is falcons. Its size is smaller than our usual falcon, but it is very similar to it.
Kobets - so in the old days they called small falcons. The hunters gave this name a google. "Kobchik" or "Kobets" as a book title was fixed from the XVIII century and even entered the French language. Kobchik type from Latin is translated as “evening”, but in fact it is most active during daylight, it usually hunts during the day. English, Czech, German name - red-footed falcon.
He lives in a very large area, in a forest-steppe belt, in Eastern Europe and at Lake Baikal, in the northern city of Yeniseisk and at the Vilyui River. He likes open spaces, does not live in continuous forests. It can be found in the steppes, forest-steppe, parks, in large clearings, near rivers, swamps. It is a migratory bird. It flies to winter in southern Africa.
Description
The length of the body is 28-33 cm, the wings are 25-35 cm, their span is 65-77 cm. Individuals weigh 130-197 grams.
The color of the males is dark gray, almost black, the belly, the “pants” on the paws and the area under the tail are red. The females are ocher in color, on the abdomen there are many longitudinal pestrin, on the back, tail, wings - transverse stripes, face with black "antennae". The iris is a dark brown color. Claws on paws - whitish-brown. Have a short, not very strong beak. Only born chicks "dressed" in white fluff. As they grow older, they become brown in color with a light belly and with longitudinal mottles. Beak with a blue tint. Over time, more and more like an adult bird. The area around the eyes, ceres and paws in adults are reddish or orange, in young - yellowish.
Habitat
Areola habitat is located on the territory of Eurasia, from Eastern Europe to Lake Baikal, the river Vilyui. To the east a different species lives, which is called the Amur coney.The bird can be found in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus. However, it does not nest in all regions. In some places it is common, and in some - it is not at all.
For the winter, these birds fly to South Africa or Asia. They fly a solid flock than they differ from other species of falcons. They migrate to Africa in the summer, in August, and return to their homelands in May.
Kobchiki live in groups, from several to a hundred pairs. Lonely predators are a rarity. They live in empty nests of crows and forty, rooks, sometimes in niches, holes, hollows. They also love artificial nests, they never make them themselves. Form a settlement for one year or several years. During their mating season, many insects breed, it happens rather late.
Nutrition
Kobchiki are predators. They are small in size and food can catch the appropriate. Therefore, these birds usually feed on fairly large insects (beetles, dragonflies). In Africa, they like to profit from locusts. If the bugs are not found, they can catch small rodents. In addition, they even catch small snakes and lizards. They feed less frequently on sparrows and larger birds - pigeons.During the hunt, predators fly above the ground and search for prey. Having noticed the victim, they begin to flap their wings rapidly and can momentarily freeze in the air, then sharply rush down and catch her from the ground. If the prey has already moved, they can run after it on their paws. These birds are fast, very mobile. On the fly they catch insects, like other falcons - with their paws, and not with their beak.
Kobchik benefits agriculture. In the place where it lives, there are less insect pests: locusts, beetles. He also protects his territory from other birds that eat seeds from the fields. Can accompany herds on pastures, grabbing insects curling around them.
Kobchikov can be kept in captivity, feed, like other birds of prey. It is even easier with them, as over time they get used to different foods and eat almost any kind of food.
Breeding
Birds return from wintering places later than others - in May. Then they begin the marriage period. In males, there are usually several eggs (3-6), ocher colors usually rusty, the female incubates them for a little less than a month (25-28 days). Feeds her male. Often it also helps to hatch eggs.During the hunt, this little falcon sings songs. Makes high sounds "chi-ki-ki" and "ki-ki-ki" in different forms. You can hear his voice at the time when he is caring for a female or if you scare him. During nesting kolbchik songs are heard quite often.
Nestlings grow, keep about a nesting two weeks. Very voracious, like all other birds, parents feed them from morning to evening. In early July, begin to learn to fly. By August, they are already flying fine and finding food themselves. By the time you need to fly away to warm lands for wintering, the young individuals are able to take care of themselves and fly on such a long way. They become sexually mature a little earlier than a year.
Interesting Facts
- These predators live 12-16 years old, and up to 18 in captivity. The inhabitants of Africa tame cobwells, collect small flocks of them for several years. Birds no longer fly to nesting sites. They catch insects, mice and other pests in the fields of their owners, thus, increasing the yield.
- Kobchiki always live in packs, the males help the female while hatching eggs. During this period they are harder to catch. The birds are quite calm and peaceful, give themselves tame and listen to the owner. Only because of the love of flying often fly away from the owner.In the old days, they cut the wings so that they could not fly far. But, at the same time, there were other cases when people nursed a bird, let it fly away, and it flew back with its prey.
- These small predators often attack such a large, in comparison with them, bird like a heron. However, they do this not for the purpose of profit, but in order to take her nest.
- Birds bring great benefits when increasing pests on agricultural land, destroying them and, thus, “healthy” fields.
- This bird of prey is always alert and wary of man. You must be extremely careful around it. If a coney thinks that something threatens it - the sharpest claws and a firm beak will be used.
Today, these falcons are listed in the Red Book. This species is becoming less common, has the status - “to be in a state close to the threatened one”, needs protection. The number of Kobchikov is constantly decreasing. Hunting of these birds in a large number of countries is prohibited by law. Especially reducing their number contributes to the use of chemicals in agriculture. Their feeding area decreases, and bird reproduction suffers because of this.To protect the falcon, it is necessary to prohibit cutting down large trees in the steppes along river valleys, to promote the protection of the species among the rural population. Identify habitats, create reserves with special measures for the conservation of the red-fledged falcon.
Video: small falcon (Falco vespertinus)
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