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The corncrake bird is a rather interesting species of birds, attracting the attention of many bird lovers. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that representatives of this species do not like flying. The second common name of this small bird is dergach.
This species of birds is very common and surely many of the people, if not seen, then heard the sound of the voices of these birds. As a rule, you can hear the dergach in the evening in the open area (meadows, large glades), the bird emits characteristic crackling sounds, resembling the croaking of toads.
Description of the species
The size of the corncrake is small chicken, the maximum weight of the individual reaches 155-160 grams. From the side, the body of the dergach seems somewhat flattened, the tail of the bird is rather long, the beak is small and wide at the base, the length of the wing does not exceed 16 cm.
The feathering color of the upper part of the bird is quite variegated, the red-brown color predominates.The belly and sides of the corncrakes are ocher, decorated with characteristic red stripes. The craw, neck and sternum of the dergach are gray. The iris is a pleasant nutty shade.
Habitat
Place nesting dergach - almost the entire territory of Eurasia. This species of birds is chosen mainly by the southeast of the African continent as a place for wintering. As a rule, for settlement of their colonies, juggers prefer to choose floodplain meadows, overgrown with perennial dense vegetation, uncultivated gardens, semi-dry areas located in the marshland. Also, these miniature birds are often found in the grain fields. A prerequisite for nesting crake is the presence of a reservoir; nevertheless, the humidity level in the territory chosen for life should not be excessive.
Voice features
In the mating season, the cries of the dergacha are heard almost at any time of the day or night; the male corncrakes make sounds to themselves, attracting not only the attention of the females, but also throwing a kind of challenge to all potential competitors and rivals.
Often, during the mating games, the bird becomes so excited, singing its jerky trills that it may not even be heard if any animal or even a human being approaches it. This results from the fact that during singing the bird, as a matter of fact, stuns itself. While singing, the dergach pulls the neck forward and spins in different directions.
Crake makes an unusually loud and harsh screaming when there is any danger for her, a little reminiscent of the chirping of such a bird as forty.
Lifestyle features
The best place for a jerk's nesting place is wet meadows, overgrown with high and dense vegetation. Also often to meet the birds of this species can be in the fields with cereals.
The corncrake bird can be attributed to nocturnal birds, which, in good weather, can actively communicate with their relatives during the whole night, get to write, sing songs, and only go out in the morning to rest.
It is incredibly difficult to notice the dergach in the thick grass, because representatives of this species rise extremely high in the air.
The jerky run quickly (due to the narrow and maneuverable body), while bending the front part of the body to the surface of the earth and lifting the tail up. During the movement, it seems that the bird constantly nods its head, periodically during such a “cross” the jibbing abruptly stops and stretches the neck forward to its full length, looking around the area around it. After inspection, the bird makes a distinctive sound, as if encouraging itself that there is no threat to its life.
Sensing the approach of the slightest danger or threat from predatory species of birds or animals, the bird will first of all try to escape from its adversary in order to hide from it in thick and high grass. If it is not possible to escape, it rises into the air. However, the dergach does this rather awkwardly and slowly. During the flight, the feet of the feathered are lowered, the duration of the flight is very short, having flown several tens of meters, the bird again descends into the thicket of dense vegetation.
Breeding features
Crake can be called sequentially polygamous birds. The mating season begins in mid-spring and ends in July. As mentioned above, in this period of time, the birds become very active and vociferous, in addition to their original sounding songs, the males also attract the attention of their girlfriends with characteristic marriage dances, spreading showy wings with red spots and circling on the ground. Often during the courtship period, a jerky man feeds his girlfriend with caught wildlife - small worms and snails.
In one mating season, a male jugger can mate with several females. The duties of the loving gentleman do not include the construction of nests, as well as the care of future offspring. As soon as the female dergach proceeds to lay eggs, her cavalier immediately escapes in search of a new chosen one.
The construction and arrangement of the nest is done exclusively by the female corncrake, as a rule, the place for it is chosen among small shrubs or in thick grass. To begin with, a small depression is dug out in the ground, surrounded by stalks of cereals, the bottom is lined with moss. The number of eggs in one laying reaches 10-12 pieces.
The duration of incubation of future offspring is about 3 weeks. Appeared chicks have a downy dress of dark brown color. Almost immediately after spitting, small corncrakes can leave the parent nest, accompanying the female in search of food.
The first weeks, the female jerks feed their offspring from the beak. Upon reaching two weeks of young growth, the chicks begin to lead a completely independent lifestyle. Young dergachi at the age of 1 month become on the wing, after which they completely leave their parental care.
Power Features
The diet of this type of bird as a corncrake consists of both plant and animal food. Due to the fact that the birds choose fertile areas for their nesting places, they usually have no problems with getting the necessary food. For example, colonies of dergachs living near grain fields feed on worms, insects, and grains of cereals.
Species population
Due to the fact that the corncrake is a very cautious bird, it is practically impossible to determine the exact number of individuals of this species. Nevertheless, many experts believe that the population of the dergacha is gradually decreasing due to changes in the landscape.
Video: corncrake (Crex crex)
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