Medium egret. Birds of prey in Belarus. Structure and dimensions

RWD-14 Czapla RWD-14 "Heron" Close-range reconnaissance, spotter and communications aircraft. Single-engine monoplane parasol of mixed design with fixed landing gear. Designed at the research center Dosviadzalne Varštáty Lotníčy (DWL) under the direction of S. Rogalski and

Medium egret- Egretta intermedia see also 5.2.2. Genus White egret Egretta Medium egret Egretta intermedia Similar to the great egret, but smaller (wingspan up to a meter), and with a shorter beak (shorter than the middle finger). The ring around the eye ... Birds of Russia. Directory

medium egret- vidutinis baltasis garnys statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Casmerodius intermedius; Egretta intermedia angl. intermediate egret vok. Mittelreiher, m rus. medium egret, f pranc. aigrette intermédiaire, f ryšiai: ... ... Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

Little egret- Egretta Egretta see also 5.2.2. Genus Egretta Little egret Egretta garzetta. Similar to the great egret, but almost half the size (wingspan 60 90 cm). The beak is black, in winter and in young birds the mandible is yellow, the ring ... ... Birds of Russia. Directory

Heron-? Heron Gray Heron Ardea cinerea Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type ... Wikipedia

Egyptian heron- (Bubulcus ibis), a species of ankle-footed birds of the genus of small chepurs of the family of heron birds (see TsAPLI); a medium-sized bird: body length 48 53 cm, wingspan 90 96 cm, wing length 22 25 cm. Weight 300 400 g. The color of the plumage is white, in the mating season the upper ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Herons- Pain ... Wikipedia

Egrets- Egrets ... Wikipedia

The heron is a fairly common bird for Russian landscapes. Despite the quantitative small number, the distribution of the heron is so wide that it covers large areas around the world. According to their species diversity, herons are Egyptian, gray, white, sun, red, night herons, etc. However, the classification is not limited to this - some species of herons are also divided into subspecies.

Description of herons

The appearance of the heron, especially its color, largely depends on the species to which the bird belongs. However, it is possible to note certain external characteristics inherent in all herons belonging to this family. So, herons are marsh birds with long and thin legs without membranes. There are small, medium and large herons in size. All herons have special powders with which they powder the plumage, and do not smear it, unlike other semi-aquatic birds. On the heron's paw there is a special toe, which is different in shape (it is slightly longer) - the heron uses it as a “comb”. The wings are blunt at the ends. The neck is arched, S-shaped. The beak is long, large and powerful. Herons have a typical constitution: long legs and neck, upright body.

Description of the egret

There are medium and large egrets. In the plumage, a white tone is always present, regardless of the variety (a very large number of subspecies of this bird are known). The color can be either predominantly white (for example, in a little heron), or simply present (in a blue-footed heron). Sometimes it can manifest itself only at a certain age of birds - like in young blue little heron. Feet are dark gray. Body weight - about 1 kilogram, depending on the population.

Description of the Egyptian heron

Egyptian herons have a shorter beak than other members of the genus. The neck and head are painted in a yellow-buffy tone, the body is white, and the beak is yellow-lemon. During the mating season, some changes occur in the appearance of the Egyptian heron - it has a yellow crest and untwisted elongated feathers in the back of the same yellowish tint. They fall out in the fall. The wing reaches a length of 22 cm to 25 cm.

Description of the gray heron

The gray heron has a large neck and legs. The plumage is painted in gray and gray shades. The heron has dark stripes along the entire upper part of the neck. The beak is brown, the wings are darker than the body, the paws are grayish-yellow. On the head of the gray heron there is a so-called plait (a kind of headdress). Body weight in some cases reaches 2 kg, the standard weight of gray herons is 1.5 kg. Males are usually larger than females. The wing length of the former is approximately 47.2 cm, of the latter - 45.8 cm.

Description of the red heron

The red heron is almost similar to the gray heron. It is distinguished from it by its much smaller size and auburn (almost chestnut) feather color. Males also outnumber females in size. The average weight of a bird is up to 1 kilogram. Wing length - up to 37 cm.

Description of the night heron

The night heron is a small heron. Has yellow long legs. The night heron's eyes are yellow. The beak is powerful and large. There are feathers on the head that form a special “kerchief”. Neck - chestnut, long. The plumage is dark green.

Species of herons

There are a large variety of herons, which form not only species, but also subspecies... In general, this heron family includes 63 species that belong to 16 genera. The most famous and common types of herons:

• gray heron (consists of 4 subspecies);
• egret (consists of at least 12 subspecies);
• Egyptian heron;
• red heron;
• night heron, etc.

Heron habits

The heron is, first of all, a wading bird, therefore, its habits are appropriate. She forms entire colonies, equipping nests in reed creases, on low-growing trees or shrubs growing near swampy bodies of water. The movements of the heron are slow and dignified, accompanied by the extension of the neck forward. The heron can hunt both alone and in groups. The heron is most active at dusk and during the day (at this time it gets its food). At the onset of late evening, he tries to hide in a shelter.

The gray heron spends a long time standing on one leg in complete immobility. All species of this bird are quite aggressive towards each other during feeding, therefore, they often take away the caught food from one another. If danger threatens, the heron stretches its neck and freezes, but it is ready to take off at any moment. When hunting, the heron keeps its head lowered, looking out for its prey. If it comes across a large heron, the heron first strikes it sharply, then grabs it with its beak and shakes it. Egyptian herons have slightly different habits, as they always adhere to herds of large animals (usually wild ungulates), on whose backs they spend a very long time.

Herons' habitats

The Egyptian heron is found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. Recently seen at the mouth of the Volga. It is widely found in Africa, where it is distributed from the southern regions of the continent to the east coast and Senegal. It also inhabits South Asian territories. It is found in the B. Sunda Islands, the Philippines and southern Japan. Egrets are more widespread and are found everywhere except Antarctica. There are especially many of them in Africa. On the territory of Russia, there are mainly three species - gray, little and great egrets.

The gray heron is distributed mainly in Asia, Europe (in countries with a temperate climate), inhabiting the zones from the Japanese Islands and Sakhalin to the Atlantic coast (to the north - to Yakutsk and St. Petersburg, to the south - to Ceylon and northwestern Africa ). The red heron is found in the southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula - its nesting sites go to Pakistan and Iraq through Hungary and the entire Balkan Peninsula. It can also be found in Hindustan, Indochina, China, Ceylon and Primorye. In the east it covers the territory of Taiwan, Ryuko, the Philippine Islands, in the south - the M. Sunda Islands and Sulawesi. It is not uncommon in Africa.

Where does the heron live

Any heron lives primarily in swampy areas. However, the specifics in this case depend most of all on the species to which the heron belongs. For example, Egyptian herons can live among herds of ungulates (hippos, rhinos, etc.), on whose backs they spend most of their time. The gray heron is a typical species of birds that are found along lakes, streams, rivers and swamps. At the same time, the salinity of the water does not matter to them. For herons, the main factor is the presence of shallow water. The egret settles near water bodies located both inland and by the sea. Its favorite places to live are mangroves, salt and freshwater lakes, shores, floodplains, swampy lowlands. It is also found among agricultural plantings, in the fields, near drainage canals.

What does a heron eat?

The basic diet of any species of herons is frogs, fish, crayfish, snakes, tailless amphibians, and rodents. Also, the heron feeds on all kinds of insects (crickets, grasshoppers) and their larvae, field mice, rats, small gophers and lizards. The red heron can peck on locusts, and the Egyptian heron can eat ticks and body insects, which it catches in the wool and on the skins of animals. The egret often feeds on chicks of sparrows and other small birds.

Heron hunting

Hunting for herons is prohibited in the Russian Federation- due to the small number of this bird. Its production peaked in the 19th century. Then such a privilege was available exclusively to the nobility, but the common people were strictly forbidden to hunt herons, since the heron was considered a noble one. The heron used to be a classic trophy in falconry and gun hunting.

The great egret is one of the large birds of the heron family, distributed in warm, temperate and tropical latitudes of the western and eastern hemisphere.

Taxonomy

Latin name- Egretta alba
English name- Great egret, great white heron
Class- Birds (Aves)
Detachment- Storks (Ciconiiformes)
Family- Herons (Ardeidae)
Genus- Egretta

Conservation status

The great egret is included in the International Red Book of the group of species, the existence of which causes the least concern.
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the world population of the great egret declined by almost 95%, but then it was almost universally recovered. For example, on the territory of Russia in 1919, the Astrakhan Nature Reserve was created, mainly for the protection of the great egret. Now the total number of great egrets in Europe is estimated at 11-24 thousand pairs, of which in the European part of Russia - 5-7 thousand pairs.

View and person

In the 19th century, the population of the great egret was undermined to a large extent due to the hunt for this beautiful bird. Special feathers on the back that appear during the mating season - egrettes - were used to decorate ladies' hats. For this, herons were destroyed in huge numbers, and on the territory of both hemispheres. So, in 1898 alone in Venezuela, more than 1.5 million herons were killed for the sake of egrets. From one bird you can get only 30-50 aigrette, and to gain 1 kg of these feathers, you had to kill 150 birds. The famous Royal Society for the Conservation of Birds (Great Britain), which is now the largest conservation organization in Europe, was created to save the destroyed birds, and the great egrets in the first place.
Currently, great egrets are not hunted anywhere. Thus, the direct anthropogenic impact is excluded, but the indirect one has become more significant - the loss of habitat and its pollution with heavy metals and pesticides. These substances adversely affect the health and fertility of birds (their high levels are noted both in the tissues of adult birds and in eggs).

Distribution and habitats

Appearance

The great egret is a large bird about 1 m high and a wingspan of 130–140 cm; the weight of adult birds is about 1 kg. As a rule, males are larger than females; there are no other signs of sexual dimorphism. The plumage is completely white. During the mating season, long openwork feathers grow on the back - egrets, which the birds actively demonstrate. The beak is long, straight, yellow. Legs and toes are long, dark gray. The neck is long, s-shaped. The sixth cervical vertebra has a special structure, so that the heron can quickly stretch the neck and pull it back.

Lifestyle and social behavior

Living in temperate latitudes, great egrets are migratory, wintering in Africa and tropical Asia. Most of the southern populations of herons are sedentary or make small movements.
On the ground, great egrets walk slowly and majestically, looking for prey. Their vision is binocular. The flight is smooth, its speed is 30-50 km / h. When flying, it takes its head back, bending its neck in an S-shape.
They hunt singly or in small groups during the day or at dusk, and after dark they seek refuge, forming large flocks, often with other species of herons. They behave quite aggressively, often entering into a fight for prey with other birds, including their own species.
After the end of the nesting season, young herons fly away from their native nest, sometimes up to 400 km.

Vocalization

Feeding and feeding behavior

The great egret is a true predator. Its diet includes fish, frogs and their tadpoles, small rodents, birds and their chicks, crustaceans, various insects. Herons are a little picky in their choice of food, but the main food is still fish.
During the breeding season, they prefer to look for food near the nest, but they can fly up to a distance of 20 km. Feeding activity of herons is especially daytime. Adult birds begin flying for food at dawn, and the greatest activity is manifested from 3 to 8-9 am, and then weakens during the day. The second peak of activity, less than the morning one, is observed from 15-16 hours to 19-20 hours. Great egrets strictly guard their feeding area and often engage in fights with birds of other species. However, if there is a lot of food, they can hunt in small flocks.
During the hunt, the great egret often stands motionless on one leg, looking out for prey in the water. If the water is high, the bird stands on the shore with its head bowed to the water. Having found prey, the heron makes a swift throw with its neck and snatches out the prey with its sharp beak. Sometimes birds slowly (or quickly) roam in shallow water, but many bird watchers believe that, standing in one place, the heron can catch much more food. The caught prey is swallowed whole.

Reproduction, raising offspring and parenting behavior

The great egret is monogamous, but pairs are formed, as a rule, for one season, although there are cases of reunification of some pairs the next year. Breeds in large colonies together with other species of herons, often smaller ones. In temperate latitudes, nesting occurs in the warm season (spring and summer), in the tropics - all year round.
The courtship ritual of these herons, during which even the appearance of the birds changes, is rather complicated. During the breeding season, birds of both sexes change the color of the beak and non-feathered parts on the head, and the famous egrettas grow strongly. Usually males arrive first in the colony and choose places for future nests. The priority here belongs to the older males, they choose the best places closer to the center of the colony. Having chosen a place and securing it to himself, the male begins a ritual dance, attracting the female. Females sit on neighboring trees and carefully observe what is happening. Sometimes they perform a return dance, sometimes even small fights take place between them. Herons choose partners very meticulously, and sometimes one bird can drive away another, for some reason or not.
The heron nest begins to build as soon as a pair has formed.
Nests are placed on tall trees (at least 10 m) growing near the water; less often - on bushes (in the absence of suitable trees). The nest is a rather messy pile of branches of different sizes, stacked in one place. The material for the nest is usually collected by the male, often simply stealing it from the neighbors, and the female lays down. The diameter of the nest is 60–80 cm, its height is 50–60 cm. Sometimes the nest can be used the next year, unless the herons change the place of the entire colony. Despite the colonial nesting, the male very actively protects his site and nest, shouts loudly and attacks the stranger.
The female lays 3–6 bluish-green eggs at intervals of 2–3 days. Usually there is one clutch per year, but if it dies in the early stages of incubation, a second clutch may be postponed. Both parents incubate, the incubation period lasts 23–26 days. Chicks hatch practically naked and helpless in the same order as the eggs were laid. A fierce struggle immediately begins between them over food, in which the older and stronger win. Most often, the younger ones die, and quite often only 2 older chicks survive and remain in the brood (and sometimes even 1). In the early days, parents feed the chicks with regurgitated food, and then bring the prey whole. Chicks in the nest behave aggressively not only towards each other. Bird watchers, who happened to ring the chicks of the great egret, say that the chicks desperately resist and try to hit a person with their beak, while aiming in the eyes.
Chicks fledge in 42–49 days, they begin to fly well after 7 weeks, but depend on the parents for another 3-4 weeks, after which the brood breaks up. The mortality rate of young great egrets in the first year of life is very high and amounts to over 75%. Great egrets become sexually mature at the age of 2 years.

Life span

In nature, the average life span of great egrets is 15 years, in captivity it can be up to 22 years.

Life story at the Moscow Zoo

In our zoo, the only great egret is kept together with other representatives of the order of storks in the New Territory in the "Birds and Butterflies" pavilion. In winter she lives in a warm inner aviary, in summer she lives outside.
Every day, the heron receives about 500 g of food, which includes fish, meat, mice and frogs.
The history of this heron is very unusual. About 10 years ago she was brought from Anadyr in Chukotka (!), Where she flew for the winter (!). How she got there and how she was going to spend the winter there is completely incomprehensible. There are cases when a bird finds itself in completely uncharacteristic places for them, brought in, for example, by a strong wind or storm. (Such cases are called by birdwatchers "flying"). But on that day, according to eyewitnesses, there was neither strong wind nor storm. Apparently in the "program" of the heron there was some kind of failure. She was caught by good people (otherwise she would certainly have died) and brought to Moscow to the zoo, since then she (or he, the sex is still unknown) and lives here. Lives well, is in excellent shape and every spring "produces" beautiful fishnet aigrette to the delight of the employees.