Warblers are considered one of the largest families of songbirds. These birds prefer to build their nests in dense thickets of grass and shrubs. They mostly live in forest-steppe and steppe zones. Warblers, mockingbirds and warblers are also included in the Warbler family.
For the winter, birds fly to warmer climes and return to their homeland in late spring. On the territory of Russia there are a large number of representatives of this family. But the most melodious among them is the gray warbler. It is also affectionately called the talker, as the bird sings short songs resembling a dialect.
Description
Birds of the warbler family are small in size. Their body length is approximately 14-20 cm. The smallest of them is the gray warbler, the description of which we will consider in more detail:
- The bird does not have a bright color, which allows it to be well camouflaged in dense thickets of bushes.
- The back and tail of males has a brown tint, but the plumage of the head is ash-gray. The thoracic region and abdomen are whitish in color. On the plumage of the wings, red stripes with a slight pink tint are noticeable. The outer tail feathers are marked with white.
- Color of females is less remarkable. The head is brown, the rest of the plumage is gray.
- The gray warbler is found in the western regions of the Eurasian continent. One of the subspecies lives on the Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus.
- Birds go to Africa for the winter.
Mating season and nesting
Upon returning from the winter quarters, the warblers begin mating season. Males arrive at nesting sites earlier than females. Preparation for this important procedure includes partner's chants. The trill of the male at this time can be heard from morning until evening - this is how he attracts a female to himself. Among all members of the family, it is the gray warbler that is distinguished by one unique feature - the bird's singing does not stop even during the flight. The trill contains short stanzas and a bright, expressive ending.
Nest building starts as soon as the foliage appears on the bushes. For this, dried leaves and stems of cereal plants are used. Both partners are involved in the construction. The gray warbler, unlike its relatives, builds deeper nests, placing them at a height of 20-50 cm above the ground. Sometimes you can find bird buildings that are covered with cobwebs and cocoons of various insects.
Offspring
In one season, the bird manages to make 2 clutches of eggs. The first falls on the end of spring (May). In a clutch there can be from twoup to four eggs. The second falls in June-July. Cuckoos very often throw their eggs into the nests of warblers, and they, in turn, raise someone else's offspring. The incubation period is 11 days. Bird eggs are whitish in color with numerous spots of lilac-gray and yellow-brown.
After the chicks appear, parents take care of their offspring for 10-12 days. Having fledged, the babies begin to fly out of the nest in search of food. At this time, parents feed the chicks for a week. From September to November there is a migration period. Birds travel south to the tropical regions of Africa. After wintering, which ends in April, they fly to their native lands.
What does a bird eat?
The gray warbler has a varied diet. Includes:
- cicadas;
- various types of beetles;
- small flies;
- butterflies and caterpillars;
- arachnids;
- locust;
- bugs;
- hymenoptera;
- berries and juicy fruits.
Little chicks are fed soft food: larvae, caterpillars.
Warbler at home
The gray warbler is a small bird. Therefore, it can be found among pets. What do you need to know about keeping her in captivity?
- Warbler belongs to peace-loving birds, so it is unacceptable to keep her in a cage with other representatives of birds.
- For home content userectangular cages or special enclosures.
- At first it is difficult for a bird to get used to new conditions. She is very shy and can rush around the cage. Therefore, it is recommended to cover the new dwelling of the whitethroat with a translucent cloth for some time.
- As soon as the bird gets used to the new living conditions, you can hear its chants.
- The cage for warbler keeping should be spacious and equipped with perches, a drinker, a feeder, and a bath. If the bird was settled in an aviary, you can plant plants in it. In them, the warbler equips a nest for breeding.
- You need to feed your pet with live food. Suitable larvae and caterpillars of various insects, worms living in flour, ant eggs and other small insects. It is especially important to feed the birds during the nesting period.
- It is useful to add foods such as cereal mixtures, currants, raspberries, elderberries and blueberries to the warbler's diet. Birds also like grated carrots.
- Regularly, once a month, you need to disinfect the pet's home. This procedure must be carried out very carefully during nesting, otherwise, frightened, the bird is able to destroy the clutch.
- It is necessary to observe the temperature regime (18-20 degrees), as the birds are very thermophilic.
- It is unacceptable to place the cage in drafts, this can harm the he alth of the pet.
Warblers are unpretentious in content and get along well with a person.
