One small duck and ten secrets of its preparation. Domestic duck and its breeding Little duck

There are a huge number of wild waterfowl in nature. Many of them are famous for their beautiful appearance, others for their unique properties, and still others for their unusual voice and plumage. Among them is the famous teal duck breed, which can make peculiar sounds reminiscent of “teal, teal.” Few people know that the teal bird has the smallest size compared to other wild waterfowl. This is probably why she was named so affectionately, tenderly and beautifully.

To this day, the behavior of teal-whistles remains poorly studied, which is not surprising. Meeting a bird in real conditions can be problematic, because... she is a tiny, very cautious and unnoticeable creature.

Despite its tiny size, teal is considered a favorite hunting trophy. This is not strange, because the meat of the nimble little ones has incredible culinary properties, thanks to which it is classified as “noble”. But the prosperity of poaching leads to the rapid extermination of the species, so in some regions the number of ducks reaches a critical level.

For example, in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and Great Britain, birds are caught on an industrial scale when they make seasonal migrations.

One of the key features of the teal duck is its peculiar takeoff, which it performs in a vertical manner. At the same time landing occurs in water bodies abundantly overgrown with vegetation. Agree, not all birds can boast of such unique abilities. What is the secret of such flying mastery? Everything is very simple, the teal duck has unique anatomical features of its wings, which have pointed ends and a narrow shape.

Several species of birds are found in the wild., but two types are considered the most popular:

1. teal-whistle;
2. teal

The first breed is considered the most common, because it is found in different regions and climate zones. An adult rarely gains more than 200-450 grams of weight, due to which it can perform complex maneuvers in the air.

Incredibly beautiful color The plumage gives the bird a special attractiveness. The head and neck of the drakes are covered with a reddish-brown breeding plumage, and the chin and lower part of the neck are covered with black plumage. On both sides of the head there are bluish-green stripes with a reddish tint. In turn, they are distinguished by a narrow white border.

The upper part of the body is painted light gray with black stripes. The rump of the tail is distinguished by a brownish-gray color with a unique velvety border. The legs are gray with an olive tint, and the beak is black.

What distinguishes a duck from a drake is the presence brownish-brown color in plumage.

In summer and spring, the color becomes monotonous and acquires brownish-gray shades. Because of this, it can easily be confused with a duck, and the only obvious difference is the mirror, which does not change color, and the black beak. The color of females does not change.

The population size of the teal is not as large as that of the whistler. Externally, they are noticeably different from each other, because... the former have a long white stripe above the eye. The beak of the codfish is significantly longer and colored dark gray.

Codfish are heavier than their relatives, and the sounds that females make are characteristic of both varieties. The drake is famous for its characteristic cry, reminiscent of the sounds of “crer-crerrer”.

Where does the teal live?

This waterfowl can be found in almost all regions of the Russian Federation and the countries of the former Soviet Union, excluding the cold regions of Siberia). Ducks prefer the forest-steppe zone and forest-tundra. For housing, they look for hard-to-reach lakes, which are densely overgrown with reeds and other vegetation.

A real treasure for the teal is a small body of water where there is no current. Most often this is a small lake with standing water, or a sedge bog. The thing is that such an area abounds in a wide variety of food, including mollusks, small insects and emergent plants. Ducks' nests are located near water, but sometimes the distance from the reservoir reaches 500 meters. This is due to the fact that in spring the water level is much higher than in summer, so if the lake dries up, the nest ends up on dry land.

Features of reproduction

The teal is considered sexually mature in the first year of life. The nesting period begins in the spring, and drakes look after not only ducks of their own species, but also representatives of other breeds, including mallards.

During nesting, the male arranges courtship games with the duck, circling around her with his head pressed to his body and his beak lowered into the water. . To conquer a female drakes can emit peculiar screams and whistles, during which they sharply throw their heads up to raise a fountain of bright splashes. Some drakes try to show the female their luxurious plumage and mirror with a metallic tint. To do this, they spread their wing and create a rattling sound by running the nail of their beak along the bottom of the flight feather. Females are silent creatures, but sometimes they make very loud calls.

Teal teals are excellent at hiding their nests, and they do this not only among sedge thickets. If the pond is located in a forest, then most likely the bird will use dense thickets as a refuge. Also, the nest may be located in thickets of pine or spruce, under brushwood. The construction of a home is carried out taking into account many subtleties, so the bird takes the procedure very seriously. At the first stage, she digs a small hole, which she securely covers with twigs and plants as insulation. In addition, feathers are placed in the nest.

As for the eggs, then they have tiny sizes and a matte greenish color. Codfish eggs are slightly elongated, while whistling eggs are flattened.

Very often, a duck lays about 12 eggs in one nest. Caring mothers can bring 15, so many people have a question: “how does such a tiny bird hatch so many eggs.” It takes 21 to 24 days to incubate the offspring.

Chicks

Newborn chicks are born very active and lively. Immediately a few hours after hatching, they begin to jump into the water and begin swimming, diving and running through the water. At the age of one month, the chicks make their first independent flights. Despite this behavior, female mothers remain very caring. If a child is in danger If there is any danger in the form of a predator, then she is ready to sacrifice her life to save him. In a fit of passion, she flaps her wings across the water and tries to drive the predator away from the babies.

The lifespan of teal ducks reaches 21 years, due to which they are considered real long-livers. In winter, males and females live separately. Drakes prefer northern regions, while ducks move south. The presence of narrow wings allows you to perform masterful takeoffs and rise to a decent height in a few seconds. It is for this reason that many hunters consider duck one of the most desirable trophies.

Catching prey is very difficult, because her behavior is always playful and active.

It is important to note that in addition to the high quality of meat, duck eggs are incredibly tasty. Many believe that teal eggs are much better than the eggs of other wild birds.

Amazing facts about teal teals

This baby most likely earned the name because of its unusual voice, which resembles the sounds of “teal, chirk.” The teal duck is the smallest of all wild waterfowl. That is why among the people these little ones deserve such a childish, affectionate name.

Teal ducks can be easily recognized by their takeoff pattern. After all, few birds can boast of the ability to take off vertically and land even on bodies of water abundantly overgrown with vegetation. How does a duck manage to demonstrate such mastery of flight? The secret lies in the anatomical features of the wings: they are very narrow and also have well-pointed ends.

There are several species of this bird in nature, but the most common are the teal and the teal.

The teal is the most numerous bird in its habitat. Its weight may vary, but you won’t see all very well-fed birds: from 200 to 450 g.

These babies have an unusually beautiful color. The head and neck on top of a drake in breeding plumage are painted reddish-brown, and the chin and neck below are black. Both sides of the head are decorated with bluish-green stripes with a rich reddish tint. The stripes have a narrow white border that stretches from the eyes to the chin.

The color of the upper body, as well as the sides and undertail, is light gray, diluted with black stripes. The back and upper tail are colored brownish-gray. Coming closer to the bird, you can see that the rump itself has a beautiful velvety black border. The color of the belly is light ocher, and the speculum is rich green. The chest, as well as the crop, are dotted with beautiful black specks. The color of the paws is gray with an olive tint, the beak is black. The color of the wing lining is white.

A duck is easy to distinguish from a drake. The color of its plumage is dominated by brownish-brown colors, diluted with black spots.

The speculum is the same as that of the male, but it is slightly narrower and decorated with a white border. The throat is white. The legs are the same as those of a drake.

In summer and spring, the color of the male changes: it becomes more monotonous and acquires brownish-gray shades. Then you can distinguish it from a duck only with the help of a mirror (the color does not change for a whole year) and by the characteristic black color of the beak. The color of the female is unchanged.

The teal is not as common as its relative described above. Even from a great distance, you can distinguish a cod from a whistler, because the bird is identified by a wide, clearly visible white stripe, which is located above the eye. Also, the beak of the cod is longer, and has a uniform dark gray color (at the base, the beak of the cod is orange-yellow).

Although its weight is small, codlings are still heavier than whistling ducks. The voice of females is no different from the voice of a whistling duck. But in the spring the drake emits a crackling cry, which is more reminiscent of the words-sounds “krer-krerrrr”.

When teals arrive in the spring, or leave their native places in the autumn, large flocks of them can be seen in the sky. Moreover, in the spring the birds appear a little later than representatives of other duck breeds and they often postpone their autumn flight.

Birds fly quickly and lively. If a flock wants to descend to some place, then the behavior of the birds is very interesting: they make a turn, and thus create a dark ball, then develop into a lighter stripe.

Habitats

Birds live throughout Russia, as well as the CIS countries (with the exception of the cold northern regions of Siberia). Ducks of this breed prefer forest-tundra, as well as forest-steppe. Birds choose lakes as nesting sites that are well overgrown with reeds and other emergent vegetation.

But they especially like small lakes with calm, standing water, as well as sedge bogs. After all, it is here that they can find food for themselves: mollusks, small insects, emergent plants. Teal duck nests are located near water bodies, but there are cases when they can be found at a distance of about half a kilometer from the water. But this fact is easy to explain: if in the spring the nest was located close to a reservoir, then over the summer the lake managed to dry up, thereby moving away from the nest.

Reproduction

Puberty in teal occurs already in the first year of life. Mating games begin in spring. An interesting fact should be noted: during the nesting period, the male teal looks after not only ducks of his own species, but also pursues ducks of other breeds, even mallards.

Males take care of ducks. They circle around the female, with their head pressed to the body and their beak lowered into the water. From time to time, in order to win the attention of the female, the drakes demonstrate their characteristic whistle, sharply throwing their heads up, and also trying to raise a large fountain of spray. There is another way: the drake demonstrates its beautiful mirror with a metallic tint by spreading its wing and making a rattling sound, running the nail of its beak along the bottom of the shaft of the flight feather. Females are much more silent, although from time to time they make high-pitched ringing sounds.

Teal ducks hide their nests well. They arrange them not only in sedge. If there is a forest near a pond favored by ducks, then the birds make nests in ferns, as well as in thickets of pine or spruce, under brushwood. Females take nest building seriously. First they dig a small hole and then cover the bottom well with dry plants and twigs. The nest is also completely covered with feathers.

It wouldn't be fair if we didn't mention teal eggs. They are very small and matte, the color is greenish. The shape of the eggs of the teal bastards and whistlers is slightly different: in the former it is more elongated.

Each nest contains about twelve eggs, especially caring parents lay even fifteen, so one can only wonder how this little tiny bird can hatch such a number. The incubation period ranges from 21 to 24 days.

The chicks are already very lively in the first hours of their lives. They almost immediately jump into the water, learn to swim, dive, and run on water. Month-old chicks can fly. Although it cannot be said that ducks of this breed are not caring mothers. If the beloved chicks are in danger, then the female does not hesitate to risk her life, I try to take the predator away from her babies.

Ducks of this breed are incredibly long-lived. The maximum age of teal in Europe that has been officially recorded is twenty-one years.

Ducks and drakes often winter separately. Females prefer southern latitudes, while males prefer northern latitudes. Birds' wings are very narrow, which is why they can take off very quickly. This is probably the reason why teals are of great interest to hunters.

Everyone knows that duck eggs are very tasty. But here the teal also succeeded, so the taste of the eggs of these birds takes first place among the eggs of other breeds. The same goes for meat. Therefore, the teal duck is the main and desired trophy of any hunt.

Video “Teal Whistlers”

The footage captures teals in their natural habitat.

The teal duck or whistler is the smallest waterfowl duck that is widely known in our country. You can meet her almost anywhere in Russia. What are its features and what are its distinctive features, let's find out together.

Description of the breed

The teal duck weighs no more than 500 grams, but this is not the only difference from other wild waterfowl. Unlike all those known in our country, it has narrow wings with pointed ends, thanks to which it can take off almost vertically. This ability also allows the bird to land even on the most inaccessible ponds densely overgrown with grass. The teal is unpretentious to living conditions, so it settles almost throughout the entire country, except for the extreme cold zones of the North. However, as practice shows, it loves most small forest lakes or swamps with quiet, standing water. In such waters there is always a lot of food for a small bird.

External characteristics

The teal is a small river duck that has narrow wings, a small body and a short neck.. Thanks to them, the bird not only lands well in overgrown reservoirs, but also flies almost silently. True, the plumage of birds is not very bright. Males during the mating season in spring are gray in color with a dark chestnut-colored head and a green stripe, a yellow back and a gray stripe along the wing. The chest of males is pinkish with small dark spots. The bird's belly is white, its sides and shoulder blades are ashen. Very beautiful coloring of the wings, as seen in the photo.

In summer and during the molting period, males acquire a grayer body color without obvious variegated patches. This makes him look like a female. The only distinguishing feature is the bright, still variegated mirror on the wings and the black beak. The female has the same plumage color throughout the year. The predominant color is dark brown with light edges. By the way, the female teal is very similar to the female mallard, only smaller in size, which is clearly visible in the photo.

Reproduction

Teal, unlike most waterfowl wild ducks, reaches sexual maturity already in the first year of life, although they do not always immediately begin breeding. They enter the period of courtship and mating early, usually with the first freeze-up: in May in the north, in early March in the south of the country. Some birds form pairs at wintering sites or in migration, others - after arriving at the nesting sites. Teal ducks also have another feature - females often winter separately from males. Most ducks go to winter in southern latitudes, while drakes often remain in northern latitudes.

The mating displays of teals are very similar to mallards. Even in the fall, after molting, males begin to display near females and choose a mate. During the dances, the drakes lower their heads into the water and then raise them sharply, emitting a loud, characteristic whistle. It is because of this that the birds were nicknamed whistlers - teal-whistle. Having chosen a mate, the birds remain faithful until the female begins the period of incubation of eggs.

Teal usually live in small groups, making nests on the ground near or near water. For the nest, the female digs a hole and lines its bottom with dry grass, leaves or branches of coniferous trees. The duck also covers the nest with its feathers along the entire perimeter.

The female teal lays an average of 8-10 eggs and incubates them for approximately 23 days. From the first days of life, ducklings are perfectly adapted to life; they can run fast, even jump, dive and get food on their own. By the 30th day of life they are already on their wings.

Distribution and habitat

The teal duck settles throughout Russia, in the northern part of Eurasia, while in the far north it reaches the Arctic coastline. Western populations are found in Iceland, and southern populations are found in the Aleutian Islands, Commander Islands, Sakhalin and Hokkaido. Also widespread in northern Mongolia and Primorye. Ducks winter in the southern and western zones of Europe, in the western part of Asia Minor and in the Mediterranean.

Most often, the teal chooses forest-tundra and forest-steppe for its habitat, but you can hardly find it in the continuous steppe. During the breeding season, it settles near bodies of water with standing water. It is here in shallow water that they find food. In winter and autumn, birds, as a rule, feed on plant foods, but in spring and summer on animal feed. The latter are chosen from mollusks, insects and worms. Today this bird is hunted commercially.

Video “Birds of the continents - teal-whistle”

In this video presentation, you can see in detail what birds of this species look like.

The teal duck got its name due to the fact that the sounds it makes resemble “teal.” This is the smallest waterfowl wild bird in nature, so it is often called by its diminutive - duck.

The first feature of the teal is its characteristic flight. Few birds can take off vertically and descend even into heavily overgrown bodies of water. These capabilities of this bird come from the anatomy of its wings. They are extremely narrow with very pointed ends.

There are several types of teal, the most famous and widespread of them are:

1. Teal-whistle.
2. Teal Gadget.

Teal-whistle

The most common and numerous bird in its habitat. Her weight is very small - from 200 to 450 grams.

These little ducks have the following external description: Whistlers have very beautiful colors. The drake's head and neck are reddish-brown on top, and the chin and neck are black. On the sides there are blue-green stripes, tinged with rich red. The stripes have a narrow border of white color that extends from the eyes to the bird's chin. The upperparts, sides and undertail are light gray with black stripes, the back and undertail are brown-gray. The rump itself has a velvety black border. The belly is light ocher, the speculum is deep green. The chest and crop are speckled with black, the paws are olive-gray, and the beak is black. The wings have a white lining.

The length of the whistle does not exceed 38 centimeters. Typically the body length is 30 centimeters. The bird weighs no more than 450 grams. Females, as a rule, have a mass of about 250.

Description and features of the whistle

teal whistle named for its ability to whistle clearly and loudly. However, only drakes are distinguished by this ability. Females are nasal and have a muffled quack.

You can hear mini-ducks from spring to fall. For the winter, whistlers go to Africa. There, ducks are found close to spotted hyenas and birds.

Teal go on wanderings, taking an almost vertical start. Miniature ducks owe their ability to fly like this to their narrow and pointed wings. They also make it possible to land on any site. Other ducks do not have such abilities.

In the photo there is a teal whistler often appears next to the mallard. The species have similar habitats. Externally, teals differ not only in size, but also in the emerald “mirrors” on their wings. The rest of the plumage is dark brown with a light belly. It's summer.

In the spring, in preparation for breeding, males become colorful. The feathers on the head become a rich brown with iridescent green accents near the eyes. Emerald fragments are edged in white. Its stripes extend towards its beak. The body of drakes in spring is gray, with streaks.

Lifestyle and habitat

The voice of the teal whistler in Russia it was heard with the appearance of the first clearings. There are no special requirements for reservoirs. Teal also inhabit steppe, forest and rivers of the Tundra. The birds leave the latter for wintering earlier, in September. Mini-ducks fly away from the central part of the country at the end of October.

When choosing between a large and a small body of water, whistlers will prefer the latter. If there are options in the forest and in open areas, the latter will be discarded.

Teal prefer water bodies with rich surface vegetation during the molting period. Birds lose almost all of their guard feathers at once. This interferes with flights. Having become vulnerable, teals want to hide in reeds and coastal bushes.

In terms of altitude, duck colonies are not stable. In the northern regions, teals prefer lowland plains. In the south of the country, whistlers love to inhabit mountain plateaus. Here you need to look for miniature ducks in Transcaucasia, on the coasts of the Caspian Sea, on the border with Mongolia.

Whistlers sometimes settle in the mountains and in Kamchatka. There the ducks remain for the winter, moving to hot springs. Warmth remains nearby and grass grows.

Types of whistle

Ornithologists duck teal whistle classified as river, like the mallard. The hero of the article is one of the species of the genus of birds. It includes teals. There are 20 of them. Along with the prosperous whistler, there are species that are on the verge of extinction, for example, the marbled one.

The last time this teal was seen was in 1984. Perhaps the species became extinct like the duck. Remember the expression: “Walking like a nog”? So, in the 21st century, gogols walk around the planet only in a figurative sense. Birds with a sonorous name have become extinct.

The photo shows marble teal

There are also blue, gray, Madagascar, Auckland, brown, brown, Campbell and chestnut teal. There is an alternative name for each of them. This brings some confusion into the popular consciousness. By the way, the whistler also has additional names: small, sexual, codling.

Among the teals, the whistler is the most loved by hunters and even by mass bird catching enterprises. In Europe, for example, the hero of the article is mined on an industrial scale. Of 100% of the meat harvested, 70% is suitable for sale. Only a few birds can boast of such indicators.

Whistling meat is dietary, easy to prepare, and has excellent taste and vitamin and mineral composition.

Individually, hunters place decoy for teal whistler. More precisely, they set up a decoy-duck. Decoys produce sounds characteristic of birds. Real birds fly to them. All that remains is to shoot them from an ambush.

Teal nutrition

Teal whistler - bird, obtaining food in acrobatic poses. The feathered creature stands on its head. A duck's legs dangle above the water. At this time, the head looks for food under water, capturing it with its beak. The whistle fishes out of the water crumbs of vegetation, bread, grain, and larvae thrown by people.

The diet also includes small crustaceans, worms, mollusks, and insects.

Among plant foods, teals prefer duckweed and cereal seeds. The last whistlers are sought out along the banks of reservoirs. Birds engage in this kind of “fishing” in cold weather. In summer, while animal food is abundant, teals prefer it.

Reproduction and lifespan

A mini-duck reaches sexual maturity at one year of age. Teal whistler female and the male pair up upon arrival at the nesting sites, or even in . Ornithologists ironically say that during the winter duets are created out of love, but in Russia out of necessity. Otherwise, how can we explain that some pairs are formed in advance, long before the breeding season?

Mating games take place on the water. The drake circles near the female, lowering its beak into the water. The head is pressed against the chest. Afterwards, the drake throws its beak upward, spreading its wings. Sprays rise into the air. The dance algorithm is repeated.

The drake's movements are accompanied by the famous whistling. The duck, in the presence of a partner, sharply pecks invisible enemies behind its shoulders, now from the right, now from the left.

Teal whistler nest

After mating, 5-16 eggs are laid in prepared nests. The fertility of whistlers is one of the factors of their prevalence and abundance.

The nest is built by the female. Twigs, dry leaves and grass are used. They are lined with mother's down. Against its brownish background, the beige eggs seem to be camouflaged.

The mother incubates the offspring. The drake flies away to moult. Each 5-mm egg will hatch into a teal on the 22-30th day of development. The minimum period is typical for hot years, and the maximum for cold years.

Teal whistler with chicks

Ducklings emerge from a nest hidden in the vegetation in the first days of life. The mother teaches the offspring to swim and get food.

If the teal does not die in the clutches of predators and does not succumb to disease, it will live 13-16 years. In captivity, miniature ducks can reach 30 years of age.