The content of the article
Garden porridge is a very interesting representative of the passerine group and the oatmeal family. These are small birds, whose size reaches no more than 17 centimeters in length. The wingspan at the same time can reach up to 30 centimeters. Body weight of oatmeal also reaches about 30 grams.
Buntings are fairly common birds, most often they can be found in the area of rural settlements. Here they prefer to settle near the planting of various crops.
The appearance of buntings
Build in buntings very compact. You can distinguish them from other birds by their bright color and voice. These feathers have whitish rings around their eyes. In general, the head is painted olive in the same way as the breast area. Beak pinkish shade.Also on the head can be distinguished peculiar yellow "antennae", which go into the same yellow neck. The belly of buntings has chestnut color.
It is possible to distinguish males and females by the color of their plumage. The female pattern on the head is less pronounced, and in general the plumage is less bright, consists mainly of brownish shades. In addition, representatives of male and female buntings also have different voices and songs. The male usually screams very loudly, uttering the sound of "Tew-Türrr". In females, the cry is somewhat different, they usually pronounce “cyc-cyc”, and moreover, they are quieter than males.
Where are buntings common?
After wintering, these birds return in spring, around the end of April or the beginning of May. The first of the warm edges of the males returned, and then begin to spend time for their songs. After a few days, oatmeal singing begins to build its nests. It must be said that these birds live exclusively in pairs, and often they are located at a very large distance from each other. In rare cases, when there is a need for it, oatmeal can settle in very sweaty colonies.
Leaves of various cereal crops, small stalks, thin roots, and also dry leaves are used as materials for building a nest. In general, the litter is solid and rather thick.
Where do they live?
Basically, for living, oatmeal chooses open spaces in which there are separate shrubs and trees. You can also meet these birds in the forest-steppe, often for life they choose hillsides well-lit by the sun, as well as the foot of the mountains.In rare cases, oatmeal live right in the gardens or in the vineyards, in which no one has been working for a long time and does not pick fruit. Also these birds are attracted by river valleys, fields sown with cereals, and also meadows for pastures.
Reproduction of buntings
The period of nesting and laying of eggs in buntings falls on May-June. As a rule, the nest is settled right on the ground or at small elevations. In such a nest, the female oatmeal lays up to 5 eggs, which have an interesting color. In general, they are greyish, in addition you can see dark spots, as well as stripes, which are shaped like worms. The process of incubation takes only 12 days. After that, the chicks stay in the nest for another 12-13 days, and then stand on the wing and fly out of the dwelling. In the year, the female makes one egg laying, in some southern areas sometimes females can even make two eggs.
Already at the end of June, the first young broods of these birds can be found, usually in river valleys and other bodies of water. Already in the autumn, around the end of September, the chicks together with their parents are sent to warm lands for wintering.
Garden oatmeal songs are similar to ordinary oatmeal, however, there are some differences.In the garden variety, the song consists of 4 sounds, at the end one or two short trills. It can be distinguished from ordinary oatmeal by the absence of the “Vesia” sound characteristic of it in the song.
What do oatmeal eat?
The basis of the diet of these birds are the seeds of various plants. During the period when the female feeds the chicks, insects and various bugs are mainly consumed.
View protection
Garden oatmeal today belong to the protected species of birds, in the red book they assigned the 3rd category. It is worth noting that their number decreases with each season. This is primarily due to the fact that the habitats of these birds are significantly reduced. In addition, the problem lies in the economic activities of people, since an increasing number of pesticides are used. We should not forget about poaching, which is also common today. Also, often unsuitable conditions in the wintering areas of these birds become the cause of the reduction in the number of species. The average life expectancy of oatmeal is about 6 years.
Another reason for reducing the population of these birds lies in the fact that oatmeal is considered a delicacy in many countries and is eaten.In order to fatten oatmeal, they are caught, and then closed in a dark room with millet. Birds wake up the instinct of continuous absorption of food as a result of being in a dark room. After the oatmeal reaches the desired mass, they are killed by drowning in Armagnac. After that, the bird as a whole is fried and served on the table in the same way. With the absorption of oatmeal, the French have an ancient custom. After serving the dish, it is necessary to cover the dish and head with a napkin in order to feel the full brightness of the aroma. Such a ritual is sometimes interpreted as a desire to hide the meal from the eyes of God, which, of course, is no more than irony. At one time from Cyprus exported in large quantities of pickled oatmeal.
To date, garden oatmeal has not been sufficiently studied, so there is no set of measures for the conservation of this species.
Oatmeal Relatives
A bright relative of the garden oatmeal is the red-billed oatmeal.It differs in color of plumage from the relative. The head and upper part of the breast are covered with gray feathers. These birds nest mainly in the south-eastern European territories, as well as in the Middle East. Sometimes the birds are in Italy, in our country it is impossible to meet them.
Video: Garden Bunting (Emberiza hortulana)
To send