Steppe Harrier brief description. Steppe harrier bird. Description and characteristics of the steppe harrier. Habitat of the Hen Harrier

Circus macrourus(S.G. Gmelin, 1771)

Order Falconiformes

Accipitridae family - Accipitridae

Short description. The male steppe harrier is very light, light-gray in color and has a cross-striped rump with faint stripes. There is no color contrast between the head, crop, chest and belly. The black color on the tips of the primary flight feathers is less developed than in other species light harriers. Therefore, the black tip of the wing has a clearly wedge-shaped shape. The female steppe harrier is very similar to the females of other species of “small harriers”. Features a lighter build, a clear pattern on the head and less spread white on the upper tail.

Habitats and biology. Breeds in the steppe zone, but does not enter the Baikal region, although previously it was widespread in the steppes Krasnoyarsk Territory. Currently, its numbers here have sharply decreased. In Northwestern Mongolia, from where it is most likely to enter the Southern Cis-Baikal region, it is also an extremely rare and possibly vagrant species. When there is an abundance of rodents, it occupies various habitats. Selects the most humid and even swampy areas of the steppe with good protective conditions. It makes a small nest on flat ground, a hummock or a pile of reeds. The clutch contains 3-7, usually 4-5 eggs, white or bluish in color, clean or with small, dim reddish spots. The female incubates the clutch for 28-30 days. The development of the chicks lasts 38-45 days. It feeds on small rodents, and when they are scarce, on birds.

Spreading. According to T.N. Gagina, previously found in the Angara valley. Materials collected in the second half of the 20th century - beginning of XXI centuries, confirm this opinion, although its nesting here has not yet been established. In the Upper Angara region, only vagrant individuals are found. It was first observed in this region (Ziminsk-Kuitun forest-steppe) on April 30, 1963. At the mouth of the river Irkut during the autumn migration was recorded in the mid-80s. of the past century. Later met here on May 13, 1995. It is characteristic that the appearance of the steppe harrier in the Upper Angara region occurs during the period of mass eviction of many bird species to the northern border of the range as a result of severe droughts in the territory Central Asia. During such periods it can even nest in the forest-tundra. In the 21st century, no one celebrated it here.

Number. Random arrivals of individual pairs and individuals during periods of severe drought in the territory of the main range.

Limiting factors. Not found on the territory of Cisbaikalia. Limitation of numbers is possible only in the nesting and wintering areas, as well as on the main migration routes.

Accepted and necessary measures security. No special protection measures were taken and they are not required for this species in the Cis-Baikal region. However, extensive educational work is needed among the population, which traditionally has a negative attitude towards birds of prey. The publication of special booklets is required to accurately identify the steppe harrier in the wild, both for hunters and bird lovers.

Information sources: 1 - Gagina, 1961; 2 - Melnikov, 1999a; 3 - Melnikov, Durnev, 1999; 4 - Melnikov, Melnikova, 1995; 5 - Rogacheva, 1988; 6 - Ryabtsev, Fefelov, 1997; 7 - Ryabitsev, 2008; 8-Stepanyan, 1990;9-Fefelov, 1998; 10-Fomin, Bold, 1991.

Compiled by: Yu.I. Melnikov.

Artist: D.V. Gumpylova.

Falconiformes are now rarely found in the vast expanses of our Motherland. The steppe harrier is the name of an endangered species of birds, which is nevertheless worthy of close study. Let's figure out how it differs from its relatives and why the population is decreasing.

It may happen that a light-gray bird will fly out right from under the traveler’s feet. If he wandered through the fields of the Trans-Urals, then with a high degree of probability it can be said that he met a now rare representative of the hawk family. It is called the steppe harrier. He is quite different from his relatives.

Appearance

The steppe harrier (photos presented in the article) is unevenly colored. The upper plumage is grey-gray. The underside is usually pure white. Females are larger and lighter than males. Experts consider representatives of this species to be the “most slender” of all hawks. This species is especially distinguished from its fellows by its narrow wings, which have a span of up to one hundred and twenty centimeters. In flight, this inhabitant of the steppe can be confused with a seagull. Only upon closer inspection does this visibility quickly disappear. The steppe harrier has a completely different plumage. Most of all it can be described by the word “pockmarked”. The overall gray color is interspersed with dark patches, more noticeable on the wings. The female has a white “collar” and the same “eyebrows”. It must be said that the color of light plumage is not bright, but muted.

Habitat

The steppe harrier, as the name suggests, settles among the fields. He prefers uninhabited areas, so now he can only be found in the Trans-Urals. In Ciscaucasia, Southern Siberia and the European part it is also found, but extremely rarely. Sometimes it nests in mountainous areas, tundra. These birds like swampy places abounding in vegetation. There, having chosen a place where there is a little moisture, they arrange nesting sites. Hawks perfectly camouflage their “settlements” so as not to become natural prey for other predators. They do not live in pairs, but in small groups. Nests are usually located at a distance of up to one hundred meters from each other. In the improvised “settlement” you can count up to six couples. The steppe harrier can also be found in the mountains. Only there it lives on flat “tundra” areas.

Nesting grounds

During the breeding season, hawks build characteristic houses. To do this, a hole up to five centimeters deep is dug in the ground. The nest itself is lined with soft grasses. As a rule, a “fencing redoubt” is built around it from coarser stems. Thin twigs, reeds or other materials are used. Most often, the couple builds their nest among vegetation, near a swamp or spring. Less commonly, it can be found in the open steppe (uninhabited). If a couple has chosen the outskirts for life, then most likely they will build a nest among the dried rubble of uprooted bushes and grasses. That is, where no one will disturb the female sitting on the nest.

Offspring

Like any predatory harrier, it lays up to six eggs. Most often there are from two to four. The female does not leave the clutch until the chicks are born. When a threat arises, both parents try to protect the offspring, fearlessly attacking the “aggressor.” They try to lure him away from the nest. The chicks hatch after 28 days. They still need constant parental care for almost another month and a half. The male feeds his girlfriend throughout the breeding period, and then the brood. The survival rate of offspring does not exceed fifty percent. Babies are easy prey for predators, despite the constant care of the female. The first few days they are covered with light down, so they are visible from afar. Then the color of the plumage changes.

Threats and security

This one has few natural enemies. These include only larger feathered predators, such as the steppe eagle or imperial eagle. However, the harrier population is constantly declining. The main reason is human activity, which interferes with the preservation of the “food supply” of this steppe inhabitant. By the way, the harrier is not picky about food. Most often, he hunts small rodents, which helps humans preserve the harvest. Can go fishing small birds or insects, it happens that it is content with lizards. Like all birds listed in the Red Book, this hawk is under state protection. Catching it is prohibited. No breeding information available.

Area. Steppe strip of southeastern Europe, in the west to Dobrudzha, Podolia and Belarus (Pripyat basin); in Asia to the east to Dzungaria, Altai, southwestern Transbaikalia; the northern border runs approximately to Moscow, Tula, Ryazan, Kazan, Kirov (nesting grounds have not been proven there), then near Ufa, then near Sverdlovsk, but is noted in the summer near Arkhangelsk, in Siberia near Tyumen, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk; south to the Crimea and the Caucasus, Iran (northwestern Iran, Khorassan, perhaps Kerman and Kugistan), in Turkestan. More or less random finds of the steppe harrier are also known from other areas: from Sweden, Germany, and here in the Baltic states; at least some of these finds are undoubtedly nesting ones. Recorded on migration in northwestern Mongolia. Winters in India (up to Ceylon) and Burma, Mesopotamia and Iran; in Africa, wherever there are no thick tropical forests, but mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Flights to China. Single individuals winter in the southern zone of the USSR: in the Crimea (Senitsky), in the northwestern Caucasus (Nasnmovich and Averin, 1938), in the lower reaches of the Volga (Vorobiev, 1938), in the Aral-Caspian steppes (Bostanzhoglo, 1911).

Habitat. The steppe harrier prefers open terrain that is drier than that where the meadow harrier is typically found. Dry steppes are especially characteristic, although the steppe harrier can also be found in river valleys, along the outskirts of steppe ravines, etc. During nesting time on the plain or low in the mountains: in the Caucasus up to 1725 m (Armenia), in Altai up to 1000 m, V Central Asia up to approximately 1350 m (Severtsov according to Menzbir, 1891). Outside the nesting period it rises even higher - in Altai up to 2300 m, in the Pamirs up to 2750 m (Lake Shorkul, Tugarinov, 1930), in Africa up to 3300 m.

Number. Common bird in suitable biotopes (dry steppe), but in other landscapes - forest-steppe, wet steppe, cultural zone - it occurs more or less sporadically. Deforestation and plowing of land apparently contribute to the expansion of the steppe harrier to the north in middle lane(Moscow, Tula region). In some years in Western Europe During migration, a mass appearance of the steppe harrier was noted in the fall, which is to a certain extent invasive in nature.

Reproduction. The steppe harrier is found in pairs already on spring migration. The cycle begins two weeks earlier than that of the meadow harrier. The mating flight and games begin with arrival, at the end of April; the birds fly into the air, turn over, the male “chases” the female; after the start of laying, the mating “curly” flight is continued by one male. The nest is very simple device, small in size (about 50 cm in diameter with a tray diameter of 15-20 cm) with a shallow tray, sometimes it is just a hole surrounded by dry grass; often it is located on a hummock or a small hill among weeds, thickets of chiliga or bean grass, etc., less often among grains or in wet meadow, even swampy, areas with sedge, meadowsweet, etc. (Baraba, Zverev, 1930). Laying occurs at different times in May, in the south from the end of April (Syr Darya, Spangenberg, 1936); It is possible that the timing of laying depends on the latitude of the area. The number of eggs in a clutch is 3-6, usually 3-5. The eggs are white, occasionally with small brown spots. Dimensions (80) 40.1-50x32.6-37, average 44.77x34.77 mm (Witherby, 1939). In case of death of the masonry, there is a second, additional one (Naurzum, Osmolovskaya). Incubation begins with the laying of the first egg (chicks of different ages), only the female incubates (Karamzin, 1900). The incubation period is about a month.

Chicks hatch in late June-early July; flying chicks appear in mid-July, broods stay together until August. The duration of the nesting period is therefore about 40-45 days. During the first period of their life (when they are in their first downy plumage), the incubating female and chicks are fed by the male, and later the female also begins to hunt.

Shedding. Like the meadow harrier - full annual. The sequence of changing flywheels is from 10th to 1st; helmsmen - from the middle of the tail to the edge. Heavily moulting young in the first annual plumage are also found in summer (possibly single individuals). The sequence of changing outfits is the same as that of the meadow harrier.

Nutrition. The steppe harrier, like other harriers, hunts for prey that is moving or sitting on the ground. The main place in its feeding regime is occupied by small mammals, but when there are few mice, it switches to feeding on lizards, birds nesting on the ground, etc. The food of the steppe harrier in the USSR is indicated different mice and voles in particular Stenocranius gregalis, S. slowzowi, Microtus arvalis, M. oeconomus, Micromys minutus, Arvicola terrestris, Apodemus sylvaticus; pestle Lagurus lagurus, hamster Cricetus cricetus, gophers, among them Citellus erythrogenys And S. pygmaeus, shrew Sorex araneus; of birds - steppe pipit, larks and their chicks, warblers, quail, grouse, short-eared owl, waders, shoveler, ducklings; in Altai, young white partridges and lizards; various large insects - beetles, locusts, grasshoppers, dragonflies, etc.

Description of the bird

On average, the body length of a harrier is from 40 to 60 cm. The tail and wings of birds of this genus are long, which helps them fly slowly and silently low above the ground. During such a flight, harriers hunt - they look for lizards, chicks, rodents, and frogs on the surface of the earth. The harrier's legs are also long, which is necessary for the bird to grab prey in the grass. On the sides of the harrier's head there is a facial disc similar to that of an owl.

The basis of the harrier's diet consists of mouse-like rodents, namely voles, hamsters, and mice. Where there is a lot of such prey, the harrier will feed exclusively on rodents. Thus, in America, Pennsylvania voles become the main prey of the harrier. The harrier hunts, flying low and silently over the surface of the earth, on which the bird carefully looks out for its prey.

Harriers also eat amphibians, reptiles, and insects. They hunt other birds, hares, gophers,... They rarely feed on carrion.

Bird distribution

The distribution range of harrier species is very wide, including Eurasia, North America, Africa, Australia. The bird is not found only in polar regions. Prefers to live in open spaces. Some species migrate, but most are sedentary birds.

Common types of harrier

The bird's body length is from 50 to 60 cm, weight is in the range of 500-750 g, wingspan is from 110 to 140 cm. Females are larger than males.

The plumage of adult males is gray, white, brown or black. The crown is brown or black. The wings are silver-gray. The back and shoulders are black or brown. Females have an ocher head with dark spots, a brown back, and a brown belly with an ocher spot on the chest; the wings are grayish or brown, with streaks. Young birds resemble females in appearance. The iris is yellow, the beak and claws are black, the paws are yellow.

The species' habitat includes the temperate zone of Eurasia, northwestern Africa, the island of Madagascar, and Australia. Northern populations are migratory.

The plumage on the back of the male is black, the tail is gray, the wings are also gray with wide black stripes. There are white markings on the facial disc. The abdomen can be either white or black. Females generally resemble males in color, but the black color in their plumage is replaced by brown.

The species is distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Chile, French Guiana. Birds live in open spaces of dry savannas, pastures, water meadows, swamps, and forest clearings.

Females of this species are larger than males, their body length reaches 46 cm, while that of males does not exceed 40 cm. The wingspan is 90-115 cm. The color of the male plumage is dark gray on the back with black tips of the wings, the rump is white. The abdomen is pale gray with brown streaks. Females are brown on top with a white rump; their belly is beige with streaks.

The species is found from Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, Chile, and all the way to Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia. The bird is not migratory, but makes small migrations in April and May, from which it returns in early autumn.

The bird's body length is about 47 cm, its wingspan is from 97 to 118 cm. The tail and wings are long. The weight of females is from 390 to 600 g, males are usually smaller in size, their weight is 290-390 g. Sexual dimorphism is also expressed in plumage. The male has an ash-colored back, throat, crop and “cap” on his head. gray; the tummy, facial disc and rump are white. On the lower back there is White spot. The dark top and light bottom are clearly separated. A black stripe runs along the rear edge of the wings. The female's back is dark brown with reddish stripes, her belly is light ocher with dark streaks. The underside of the wing has three longitudinal dark stripes. Young birds resemble females in appearance, but they have less streaks and more red in color. The iris is yellow, in young birds it is grayish-brown. Paws are yellow.

The species is distributed in the northern hemisphere from the forest-tundra of the north to the steppe zone of southern Eurasia. In addition to the mainland, the bird is found on the British, Orkney, Hebrides, Shantar Islands, and Sakhalin. The Hen Harrier also lives in North America.

All populations are migratory.

The back of males is light gray with dark shoulders, eyebrows and cheeks are white. The belly is light gray. The wings are gray above with a white border, white below. The rump is light, the tail is gray with a white border. The beak is black, the iris and legs are yellow. Females are brown above with a mottled head, and the tips of their wings are rufous. The forehead, eyebrows and spots under the eyes are white. Cheeks dark Brown. The wings are gray. The rump is white. The tail is brown. The undertail is reddish or rufous. The legs are yellow, the iris is brown.

The bird lives in the south of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. For the winter it goes to India and southeast Asia.

The bird's body length is from 43.5 to 52.5 cm, weight is 310-550 g, wingspan is from 105 to 115 cm. Females are larger in size than males. Males have black plumage on the head, back and middle of the wing, part of the wings and rump are white, the belly is light, the throat and breast are black. Females are dark brown on top and have a whitish belly. Young birds are dark brown above, with a buffy-reddish rump and a brownish-red belly. The iris in adults is yellow, in juveniles it is brown. The beak and claws are black, the legs are yellow.

The piebald harrier is common in eastern Asia: in Northern China, Mongolia, and in Russia from Transbaikalia to the Amur region. Migratory species. Spends the winter in southern Asia.

Most small view harriers with a body length from 41 to 52 cm, a wingspan of 97 - 120 cm. The weight of males is 227 - 305 g, females are larger and weigh from 319 to 445 g. The plumage of the head, back and wings of the male is ash-gray. The head, throat and chest are pale gray. The belly and undertail are white with brown spots. The wings are dark above and light below with bright stripes. Transverse stripes are also visible on the tail. The female's back is grayish-brown, her belly is buffy. The species differs from related species by a white spot on the lower back. Young birds are dark brown, similar to females. The beak is black. Rainbow is yellow.

The species is distributed in northeast Africa (Morocco, Algeria) and in Eurasia from the western coast of the Atlantic to the Altai Mountains.

The first sign of sexual dimorphism for the harrier is that females are always larger than males. As for plumage color, differences between the sexes depend on the species. As a rule, males have more contrasting plumage, with a dark top and light bottom, while in females brown tones, red, and mottled predominate.

Harriers reach sexual maturity at the age of 1 year. Most birds are monogamous. While courting the female, the male performs real acrobatic stunts in the sky: first he flies high and then falls sharply down, spinning.

Harriers nest in small colonies, from 15 to 20 pairs. During the mating season, the harrier guards its territory very carefully, drives away birds from the nest and even attacks humans.

Harrier nests are often built directly on the ground, in clearings near water and large open spaces, such as fields, meadows, and swamps, where the birds hunt. The harrier's nest is a flat structure made of dry thin branches, lined with grass stems on the inside. The diameter of the nest is from 50 to 60 cm, the height is 25-30 cm. The nest is mainly built by the female, while the male hunts.

The harrier has one clutch, which occurs in mid-May or early June. The clutch contains from 3 to 7 (usually 3-5) white eggs with a blue tint. The female does the incubation. Only occasionally does she leave the nest to the male. Hatching lasts about 32 days. The chicks are born in white down with a grayish-ocher tint. The male is engaged in obtaining food, and the female feeds the offspring. After two weeks, the male leaves the nest, and the female continues to care for the offspring. The chicks leave the nest at the age of 1 month.

Harrier's voice

The trills of the harrier resemble a rattling squeal and high-pitched squawk. The male has a more melodic voice, with high, abrupt sounds “chek-ek-ek”, thin whistles “kyuv-kyuv” or “tyuv-tyuv”. The voice of females is duller and monosyllabic. IN mating season the male makes “laughing” fast sounds “chuk-uk-uk” or vibrating trills “tyur-r”.

An alarmed harrier makes short, squealing trills.

• The plumage of some species of harriers is bluish-ash-gray, and from a distance in flight it appears whitish. A white-headed, gray-haired person is often compared to such a bird, when they say “gray-haired, like a harrier.” In addition, the bird's curved beak and crown of feathers around the cheeks and chin are very reminiscent of a bearded, gray-haired old man. There is also a version that this saying is associated with a change in the color of males during maturation, as young birds turn from brown to “gray-haired”.

Appearance and description

Adult sexually mature males are distinguished by a light gray back and pronounced darkened shoulders, and also have white area cheeks and light eyebrows. The lower part of the body is characterized by light gray, almost completely white plumage. All secondary primary wings are ash-gray in color and have a pronounced white edge.

Bird feathers have inside fairly uniform whitish coloration. The rump is light, with an ash-gray border. The steppe harrier has a black beak, as well as yellow irises and legs. The average body length of an adult male is 44-46 cm.

The upper part of the body of adult sexually mature females is brown, and the head and area behind the neck has a very characteristic mottled coloring. The upper part of the wings and the coverts of the small feathers have a border and rufous tips. The frontal area, eyebrows and spots under the eyes are white.

The cheeks are dark brown in color, with a slightly brownish tint. The rump is whitish, with a dark brown border or chaotic spots. In the tail part, the pair of central feathers is ash-brown, with quite characteristic, horizontally located black-brown stripes. The undertail is reddish or reddish in color.

This is interesting! The underwing coverts are beige, with brownish spots and dark streaks. The cere is greenish-yellow in color, the iris is brown, and the legs are yellow. The average body length of an adult female is 45-51 cm.

Range and distribution

Today an endangered species bird of prey most common:

• V steppe zones in the southeast of Europe, as well as in the western part to Dobrudzha and Belarus;
• on the territory of Asia, closer to Dzungaria and Altai region, as well as in the southwestern part of Transbaikalia;
• the northern zone of the distribution area reaches almost Moscow, Ryazan and Tula, as well as Kazan and Kirov;
• V summer period observed flights of birds near Arkhangelsk and Siberia, as well as in the region of Tyumen, Krasnoyarsk and Omsk;
• a significant part of the population is represented in the southern part of the country, including Crimea and the Caucasus, as well as the territory of Iran and Turkestan.

A small number of birds inhabit Sweden, Germany, the Baltic states, and northwestern Mongolia.

This is interesting! For wintering, the steppe harrier chooses India and Burma, Mesopotamia and Iran, as well as some sparsely vegetated areas of Africa and the northwestern Caucasus.

Lifestyle of the steppe harrier

The entire lifestyle of such a bird of prey as the steppe harrier is associated with quite open area represented by steppes and semi-deserts. The bird also often settles near agricultural lands or in the forest-steppe zone.

The steppe harrier places its nests directly on the ground, preferring small hills. You can often find nests of such birds in reeds. Active oviposition occurs, as a rule, very early - approximately in the last days of April or at the very beginning of May.

This is interesting! The steppe harrier is an endangered species belonging to the category of migratory birds, and the total number of individuals can fluctuate quite noticeably from year to year.

The flight of an adult bird is leisurely and quite smooth, with a slight but noticeable sway. The vocal data of the steppe harrier is not up to par. The voice of an adult bird is similar to rattling, and is represented by completely unstable sounds “pirr-pirr”, which sometimes turn into a fairly loud and frequent exclamation “geek-geek-geek”.

Nutrition, diet

The steppe harrier hunts not only moving, but also prey simply sitting on the surface of the ground. The main place in the feeding regime of such a predator is occupied by fairly small rodents and mammals, as well as lizards, ground-nesting birds and their chicks.

The main diet of the steppe harrier:

• voles and mice;
• parsleys;
• hamsters;
• small gophers;
• shrews;
• steppe pipit;
• quail;
• larks;
• little grouse;
• Short-eared owl chicks;
• waders.

In the Altai Territory, the steppe harrier happily feeds on a variety of fairly large insects, including beetles, locusts, grasshoppers and dragonflies.

This is interesting! The hunting area of ​​the steppe harrier is quite small, and the bird flies around it at a low altitude, in accordance with a strictly defined route.