Avdotka bird: photo, description, lifestyle and interesting facts

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:45

Graceful bird Avdotka is not easy to meet in wildlife. She usually does all important things under the cover of night, and during the day she prefers to sit out in a secluded place, perfectly disguised with the help of a variegated color. Where does the Avdotka bird live and what does it look like? You will find a description of the appearance and lifestyle of this unusual bird in our article.

The Avdotkove family

For a long time, scientists could not decide which detachment should be assigned to Avdotok. The way of life and appearance makes them related to several groups of birds at once. Previously, birds were classified as waders, bustards and cranes. Today, they occupy a place in the order Charadriiformes, in which they form a separate family of clover.

The family includes only 10 species of birds. They are characterized by long legs, elongated beaks and medium size - their largest representatives reach a maximum of 60 centimeters in length. All types of Avdotka birds have a variegated color of stripes or spots that merges with the environment,making them almost invisible. The reef and large reef species differ the most in coloration, which are even identified in a separate genus.

Avdotka bird: photo and description of appearance

Common Avdotka is a relatively small bird with a neat oval body, large head and round expressive eyes. She has slender straight legs with a pronounced knee joint in the middle. Due to the fact that it is very noticeable, in English the bird has received the nickname "thick knee" (thick-knee).

She has a thin and not too long neck. Listening to the sounds around, the bird strongly pulls it up, and in a calm state, it bends it with a hook, like a heron. The size of the body of an ordinary Avdotka rarely exceeds 40-45 centimeters. Its weight can be from 0.5 to 1.1 kilograms. Large pointed wings in a span reach 70-80 centimeters.

The Avdotka bird has a brown inconspicuous color, in which short stripes of black, brown and white flowers are densely mixed. Near the eyes, the stripes increase, forming distinct white and black areas. The legs and beak are bright yellow, the end of the beak is painted black. There are no characteristic differences between males and females, their colors and sizes are the same.

Habitats

The area of the Avdotka bird covers Eurasia, North and Central Africa. In the Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia, she lives all year round. In other places it occurs only in a certain season. For a settlement, the Avdotka chooses semi-deserts, steppes, savannasnear sea and river banks.

The bird breeds mainly in Eurasia. It is widespread from Turkey to the western border of China. In Ukraine, it is found in the south and along the banks of the Dnieper, in Russia - from the Volgograd region to the border with Abkhazia. In Europe, there are much fewer favorable places for her, so the Avdotka settles there sporadically. For wintering, the bird flies to Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, as well as on the Red Sea coast - to Eritrea, Djibouti, Yemen, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Lifestyle

Calm and peaceful, the Crowberry rarely comes into conflict with other animals, coexisting normally with different species. Neighborhood with people is also not a hindrance to her, so she often settles near villages and farms. She is not shy, but moderately cautious. In case of danger, the bird quickly runs away or freezes in place in thick grass, becoming invisible to enemies.

The flight of the Avdotka is quiet and low, consists of quick strokes. But she rarely uses large wings, preferring to move on the ground. It is a nocturnal carnivorous bird. Avdotka becomes active closer to dusk, looking for food thanks to good hearing and vision. The basis of its diet is small animals, insects, mollusks, frogs, small rodents, snakes and lizards. During the hunt, she screams loudly, scaring the prey so that it shows itself.

Reproduction and breeding

In wintering places, the Avdotka do not stay long and start nesting already in March-April. Usually theyloners, but during the breeding of chicks they can unite in small flocks of several dozen birds.

The avdotka's nest is located right on the ground. It is a small depression lined with stones and covered with various herbs, branches and leaves. In one clutch there are only 2-3 beige eggs with dark spots. Both parents are engaged in incubation and care of offspring.

During the mating season, the behavior of birds changes. They become more attentive and careful. At the sight of the enemy, they can divert his attention to themselves: suddenly the bird begins to make noise, scream and flap its wings, gradually taking the predator away from the nest. At this time, Avdotki often hunt during the day, at the same time feeding a partner who incubates eggs.

Chicks hatch in a month. They already see well, can walk and can follow their parents. At first they are covered with a light fluff, but after another month or two they are completely covered with normal plumage and can fly.