Shepherd - El
Pastushok
A small bird (weighing up to 170 g), it runs excellently and is closely associated with coastal shrub and grass thickets. Its body is spindle-shaped, strongly compressed from the sides. The back is olive-brown with black stripes, the neck and chest are gray, the rear part of the belly is ochre, while the middle of the belly and sides are covered with transverse stripes (wide black and narrow white). The legs are reddish-yellow, and the eye is orange-red. The beak is long, slightly curved downwards, dark on top; the base of the upper mandible is orange-red.
When moving, it flicks its raised tail. It is active at dusk and at night. It swims well and dives if necessary. It runs very quickly and nimbly. It flies rarely, only when necessary. It remains very secretive. It is widely found in meadows and thickets of aquatic vegetation (reeds, bulrushes, sedges, willows) near various shallow water bodies in the steppe and forest-steppe.
During the breeding season and in winter, it settles along the marshy shores of various water bodies, whether standing or slowly flowing; in swampy areas with thickets of bulrush, reeds, willows, cattails, and sedges; in wet meadows with diverse vegetation, and in old peat quarries with shrubs. The necessary conditions for nesting include the presence of tall riparian vegetation and marshy shallow waters where the birds find their food. It mainly inhabits plains, and in the foothills, it can be found up to 2000-2300 m above sea level.
Birds reach sexual maturity in their second year of life; however, it seems that most pastushoks begin nesting only after 2 years. They are monogamous, and pairs remain together for one season. In the case of migration to nesting sites, they arrive as established pairs. During the breeding season, water pastushoks are strictly territorial and behave aggressively towards intruders. Conflicts at territorial boundaries usually go beyond mere threatening displays but can also end in fights similar to those of roosters. Territorial aggression can manifest not only towards other pastushoks but also towards other family members — such as the little grebe, marsh harrier, or coots.
The nest is a shallow cup-shaped loose structure with a diameter of 130-160 mm, a height of 140-210 mm, and a tray diameter of 110-140 mm — built on the bend of last year's stems of reeds or cattails, on a marshy hummock, or on a drift.
It can be located either in a dry place or right by the water or on shallow water; the base of the nest touches the water, the ground, or is situated on a small elevation of 10-15 cm, resting on the stems of aquatic plants. Dry leaves and stems of nearby plants, usually of one type — reeds, bulrushes, cattails, sedges, or horsetails — are used as building materials. The nest is carefully camouflaged on all sides, including the top — the nearby stems of grass are bent and broken. There is an inconspicuous entrance leading into the structure, which the birds use. Both the male and female build the nest together. After the main nest is built, the male may construct another one nearby for resting.
Typically, pastushoks nest twice during the season. A complete clutch consists of 5-16 (usually 6-11) gray, reddish, or pale ochre eggs with large reddish-brown and small purple-gray spots. If for any reason the initial clutch is lost, the female is capable of laying again, but this time the number of eggs will be smaller — from 4 to 7. The size of the eggs is (35-40) x (24-29) mm. The incubation period usually lasts 20-21 days. Both members of the pair take turns incubating, although the female spends most of the time in the nest. In case of danger, the birds leave the nest but remain nearby. The chicks are precocial, covered with black down with a metallic sheen at hatching, and are distinguished by their contrasting white beak. Within a day, they are already able to leave the nest, following their parents. Both parents feed the chicks by pushing food into their beaks. After 5 days, the chicks can peck food independently, and after 14 days, they start foraging for themselves. At 20-30 days of age, the birds become fully independent, although they only take to the wing after 7-8 weeks.
The diet of the pastushok mainly consists of aquatic insects and their larvae, worms, mollusks, and spiders. The food is pecked from the bottom and from aquatic plants. To a much lesser extent, it feeds on plant food — seeds of aquatic plants. Occasionally, it raids the nests of other birds or hunts for small amphibians or fish. It readily eats carrion.
Seeing a pastushok is very rare, but it can be easily detected by its distinctive call. The courtship and late autumn call resembles the squeal of a small piglet, repeated 4-5 times and can be conveyed as "uit-uit-uit," with the first syllable being particularly loud and high, while the others are quieter and lower.
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