Goshawk. The size is medium, about 1.5 times larger than a crow. Goshawks are the largest species of the genus Accipiter. Males usually weigh 630-1100 g, their length averages 55 cm, and their wingspan ranges from 98-104 cm. Females are slightly larger, weighing 860-1600 g, measuring about 61 cm in length, and having a wingspan of 105-115 cm. All hawks, including the goshawk, have distinctive white feather stripes above their eyes, giving the impression of white eyebrows. In the goshawk, these
Sparrowhawk. The name comes from the fact that this bird has long been used to hunt quails. Sometimes the sparrowhawk is referred to as the small hawk. It looks very similar to the Goshawk, but is much smaller, about the size of a pigeon or slightly larger. The male has a bluish-gray back, with reddish, brown, or chestnut transverse stripes on a light background below. The female is significantly larger than the male, with a gray-brown back and gray stripes on a white background below. The
Golden Bee-eater. In mid-May, under a calm sunny sky, you might unexpectedly hear soft overlapping voices above your head: “kyuryu-kyuryu.” You look up and suddenly see a bird of enchanting beauty in the warm azure: about the size of a starling, with a slender, downward-curving beak, brownish-blue wings, a yellow-golden head and back, and a long green tail. With its colorful appearance and distinctive shape, this bird is hard to confuse with another; there is no doubt - you are looking at the
Shilokhvost The most numerous and widely distributed duck in our fauna. It nests everywhere except for the islands of the Arctic Ocean and the southern deserts of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. It is relatively less numerous in the steppe zone, but in years with abundant water, its numbers here increase sharply. During the nesting period, the highest numbers are observed in vast open grassy marshes of the tundra and taiga. It prefers shallow water bodies with open shores. A medium-sized duck,
Chibis A large wader, similar to a pigeon. The upper body is brilliantly green, with purple, blue, and violet hues, appearing dark gray or black from a distance, and the belly is pure white. There is a long thin crest on the nape, the undertail is reddish, and the legs are reddish-brown, with four toes. In flight, it is distinguished from all other waders by its broad rounded wings; the tail is white on top with a black subterminal band. The female resembles the male but has a generally
Red-headed diving duck, also known as the red-headed or blue diving duck, belongs to the so-called diving ducks. A characteristic feature of these ducks is their ability to dive well and stay underwater for a relatively long time. Unlike river ducks, they forage at significant depths and can live in deep-water bodies. The red-headed diving duck is a fairly large, robust duck with a large head. Its weight ranges from 0.7 to 1.3 kg. It swims excellently, sitting quite low in the water, with its
Black-headed Stonechat. Stonechats (Saxicola) are a genus of birds in the thrush family. The black-headed stonechat measures 13 - 14 cm in length and weighs 17 - 19 g. Its head and back are black, and the wing coverts are white. There is a bright white spot on the shoulders. The chest is orange, and the underside is white. The legs and beak are black. The female differs in having a brown coloration. Stonechats feed on insects.
Cheglok. Small (like a pigeon), as with all falcons, it is beautiful and graceful. It has long pointed wings and a tail resembling a wedge. The total length is 32-37 cm, wingspan 76-85 cm, wing length 25-30 cm, males weigh 170-210 g, females about 250 g. Females of the cheglok, like all other falcons, are larger. The plumage is mottled – the upper part of the body is a solid gray-steel color, while the chest and underside are yellowish-white with small dark streaks. The undertail coverts and
Seagull The most numerous genus of birds in the gull family, inhabiting both marine expanses and inland waters. Many species are considered synanthropic—they live near humans and benefit from this. Typically, these are large or medium-sized birds with white or gray plumage, often with black markings on the head or wings. The coloration of the bird depends on the species to which the seagull belongs. The average length of the bird is 30-80 cm, and the weight is usually from 150 g to 2 kg. One
Heron (white, gray, reddish). A genus of large (80-100 cm and above) birds of the heron family. These birds live along marshy areas, where their prey consists of fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals. Herons are powerful birds with long conical beaks, long necks, and long legs. Most species have a well-defined tuft of feathers at the back of the head.
Pheasant. Family Phasianidae, order Galliformes. The length of a pheasant is 80-90 cm, with a tail up to 40 cm, consisting of 18 tail feathers. Wingspan is 75-80 cm. The male is black-brown with golden spots. The feathers are glossy, with a black border, and on the head and neck, they are green with a metallic sheen. The wings are reddish-yellow, and the wedge-shaped tail is gray-brown with black transverse stripes. The female measures about 65 cm in length, with a tail of 30 cm. The wingspan
Hoopoe. A small bird measuring 25-29 cm in length and with a wingspan of 44-48 cm. Distinguished by its striped black-and-white plumage on the wings and tail, the hoopoe has a long, slender beak and a long crest on its head, making it one of the most recognizable birds. The coloration of the head, neck, and chest varies from pinkish to chestnut depending on the subspecies. The wings are broad and rounded, colored with contrasting black and whitish-yellow stripes. The tail is of medium length,
Yellow-headed Wagtail (white, mountain, masked). The yellow-headed wagtails have a bright yellow breast, which makes them easy to recognize in nature. Their tail is shorter than that of white wagtails. The yellow-headed wagtail has a bluish-gray back and a pure yellow head. These insectivorous birds arrive in small flocks and individually during the peak of snowmelt, staying around thawed patches where they gather emerging flies and other insects, which they successfully catch even in the air,
Herbivore. A slender sandpiper slightly larger than a thrush. In breeding plumage, gray coloration with dense spotting predominates both above and below. The character of the spotting is subject to significant variation. Bright orange-red legs in all plumages are one of the most important features of the herbivore. The underside of the wings is pure white. The base of the beak is orange-red, while the tip is black. These sandpipers arrive quite early, in small flocks, pairs, and as singles.
Black-headed Shrike. The black-headed shrike measures 21 - 23.5 cm in length and weighs 47 - 53 g. It is similar in size to a starling and generally resembles the gray shrike in coloration, with a pale, bluish-gray back, but it has a black crown, a wide stripe on the sides of the head (across the eye), and black wings and tail. The wing spots, tail side stripes, and underside are white with a grayish-pink or pink tinge on the chest and sides. Among the birds returning in spring, the
Owl (white, eared, marsh, hawk). Order of birds of prey, including more than 420 large and medium-sized species, mostly nocturnal birds. The order consists of two families: true owls and barn owls. Brief description: large head, big round eyes at the front of the head, short, predatory beak.
Pink Starling. Its head has a long hanging crest at the back, the neck from the front to the chest, and the back to the beginning of the neck are black, with a dark purple sheen. The wings, tail, upper and lower coverts of the tail, along with the lower part of the thigh, are black with a steel green sheen. All other plumage is pink. The beak is pink-red, and the legs are pinkish-brown. In behavior, it undoubtedly resembles our common starling in many ways, but it differs significantly in many
Sizovoronka. A bird of the sizovoronkov family. It inhabits sparse old forests, edges, clearings, glades, along railways and highways, power lines, and is found in old parks and groves. Length up to 35 cm, weight up to 160 grams. The main color of the plumage is bluish-green, with a reddish-brown back. Among the modestly colored birds, the sizovoronka stands out with its special beauty. It seems to have brought enchanting colors from the distant south, the brilliant blue of the sky, and the
Pogonys. A small bird, slightly smaller than a corncrake, measuring 21-25 cm in length and weighing 80-130 g. The plumage is mottled and generally darker than that of the corncrake Pogonys. The head and the front part of the neck are lead-gray, with frequent light speckles. The upper part of the body and wings are dark brown or olive, with small white and large black spots. The belly is lighter—ochre, sometimes with rare small spots. The undertail is reddish. The wings are short, slightly
Grebes — Family Podicipedidae (little grebe, black-necked grebe, red-necked grebe, gray-cheeked grebe, great crested grebe). They are a family of waterfowl. It includes 22 species, three of which are extinct. The Russian name "поганка" (poganka) comes from the unpleasant taste of their meat, which has an unpleasant fishy smell. The sizes of grebes range from 23 to 74 cm, with an average weight of 120 to 1500 g. There are two main types of grebes: those with long, sharp beaks that
Common Quail, A bird of the pheasant family from the order of galliformes. Body length 16-20 cm, weight 80-145 g. Plumage is ochre in color, with the top of the head, back, rump, and upper tail coverts having dark and light brown transverse stripes and spots; there is a reddish stripe behind the eyes, and the throat is reddish. The male has dark reddish cheeks, a reddish throat, and a black chin and throat. The female differs from the male by having a pale ochre chin and throat and the
Green Warbler. A small, delicate, active, and very cheerful bird. The top of the head and back are green, the underside is yellowish, and there is one light transverse stripe on the wing. A narrow yellow stripe runs from the base of the beak to the nape. The green warbler is a common, sometimes numerous migratory bird that nests in various habitats. It inhabits spruce, fir, larch, pine, mixed forests, and occasionally birch groves at altitudes up to 1900 m in Altai and 2700-2800 m in Tien
Pegan. A large waterfowl of the duck family (weight 1.0-1.5 kg) characterized by distinctive plumage with a combination of white, reddish, gray, and black colors. On the main white background, the black head and reddish-brown band across the chest stand out. The bill is red, with a bulge on the forehead in males. It swims well, and only the chicks dive. It flies silently. During migration, it travels in large flocks, in a wedge or an expanded front. The voice is a dull, soft quacking like
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
Osayed (common, crested). A daytime predator of the hawk family from the falconiformes order. A rather rare bird. The osayed got its name because it destroys wasp nests and eats their larvae. Besides them, it can feed on bumblebee or wild bee larvae. It also eats frogs, lizards, rodents, beetles, grasshoppers, and small birds. A large bird with a relatively long tail and narrow wings. The wingspan is about 1.2 m. There are short, stiff feathers on the forehead and around the eyes that resemble
Dipper This remarkable diving bird lives along the banks of mountain, fast-flowing rivers and streams. The dipper somewhat resembles thrushes, but it has a very short tail. These small songbirds are capable of diving into icy holes even in winter. It is the size of a small thrush, but more robust. It has a short tail, playfully raised upwards. The top of its head, wings, and tail are dark brown, while its back is aspid gray. Against the overall very dark coloration (almost black on the back,
Ogar. A large duck (weight 1.2–1.6 kg) with a rusty-red coloration and an ochre-white head. The flight feathers, tail, beak, and legs are black. It walks well on land. It also swims well, but rarely dives. It flies quickly. A noisy bird. In flight, it emits a ringing, guttural, and mournful "ang... ang." The female hisses in the nest when danger approaches. For most of the year, these ducks stay in pairs. Ogar usually nests in the burrows of foxes or badgers, but often in abandoned
Red-nosed Diving Duck. A rather peculiar duck, biologically considered a transitional form between true, or river, ducks and diving ducks. Its flight is lighter than that of diving ducks; it flies more willingly and longer than they do, and during the mating season, it also flies as long and often as true ducks. It often comes to the shore to feed, moves on land significantly more freely than diving ducks, and when necessary, runs quite quickly. It swims well but dives less frequently and not
Common Myna. Their body plumage is brown-chocolate in color, while the head, neck, wings, and tail are black. The tips of the wings, tail, and undertail coverts are white. There are bright yellow fleshy growths on the sides and behind the eyes, which are sometimes referred to as "ears," and because of these, the mynas are called ear-starlings. Originally widespread in South Asia, they are now also found in Central Asia. The fact that they often settle near human habitation helps them
Eurasian Coot About the size of a medium duck, it weighs between 600 and 1000 grams. The Eurasian coot is easily recognized by its uniform dark coloration and the white frontal shield, from which it gets its name. The coot is more closely associated with water than other species of our marsh birds, rarely coming ashore; when threatened, it dives into the water and hides in the reeds. The coot swims well but dives poorly. It takes off from the water with difficulty, always against the wind; it
The Mute Swan is the largest representative of the order Weight is 7-13 kg, with park birds reaching up to 15 kg. The length, including the neck, can reach 160 cm, and the wingspan can be up to 240 cm. The plumage is white, with an often developed ochreous coating on the head and neck, which arises from the deposition of oxides dissolved in water. The main characteristic is that adult birds have a red bill, with a black bump on the forehead and a black base, a bridle, a velvety bump above the
Partridge (gray, bearded) — widely distributed species. Description of the bearded partridge: Very similar to the gray partridge, but differs at close range by having a black, rather than brown, abdominal spot, and a light reddish color on the chest alongside gray. Additionally, there is a black stripe under the eye across the cheek. In autumn and winter, both males and females have elongated feathers on the sides of the throat — a "beard." Seasonal changes in coloration are minor;
Kurgannik Mohnonogiy - a rare Central Asian mountain-steppe species. It is found in mountains and plains, in dry steppe areas. It is a sedentary or partially migratory species. A predatory bird of the hawk family, measuring from 57 to 67 cm in length, with a wingspan of 143 to 161 cm. Males are one-fifth smaller than females. It closely resembles a buzzard. There are light and dark morphs, differing in the amount of reddish-brown feathers. The legs are partially covered with feathers and fine
Cuckoo - a bird of the cuckoo family. Externally resembles a small hawk. The total length reaches 32-34 cm, wingspan 55-65 cm, weight up to 80-190 g. An adult male has the entire upper side of its body, including the head, colored dark gray. The throat and crop are also gray, but of a lighter ash shade. The belly is white, with dark transverse stripes. The tail feathers have white tips and spots along the shafts. It lives in light forests and gardens. It is beneficial, feeding on insects and
Mallard - a large duck. Males weigh 1.0-1.3 kg in spring, up to 1.7 kg in autumn. The male has a black head with a greenish sheen, a chestnut-colored breast, and a black tail. Distinctive features include a yellow or yellow-green bill, orange legs, often brownish-orange, and a blue speculum; the female has a pinkish bill with a dark center. The male in summer plumage resembles the female, but has a yellow-green bill. In a flying bird, white stripes on the wings are clearly visible. Takeoff and
Black Kite A medium-sized bird of prey, about 1.5 times larger than a crow, widely distributed. The kite that inhabits our region is called black, but in reality, its plumage is dark brown, with a lighter underside featuring reddish tones. It has a noticeable "notch" on its tail. The overall length is 50–60 cm, weight is 800–1100 g, wing length is 41–51 cm, and wingspan is 140–155 cm. Females are slightly larger than males. The coloration of adult birds (two years and older) on the
Corncrake - Crex crex A small bird measuring 22-25 cm in length and weighing about 150 g. It resembles a rail in size and body shape. The plumage on the upper part of the body is light reddish, with dark mottling. The top of the head, primary flight feathers of the wings, and tail feathers are chestnut with dark centers and gray tips. The sides are reddish-ochre with white transverse stripes. The chin and the front of the neck are light gray. The beak is short, strong, and reddish-brown in
Field Grasshopper. Slightly smaller than a sparrow, approximately the size of a forest grasshopper, with a longer beak, somewhat more slender body, and longer legs. Body length is 16–19 cm, wingspan is 26–30 cm, and weight is 18–27 g. It is distinguished from other grasshoppers by its light, uniform coloration and almost complete absence of spots. It moves on the ground by walking or running, sometimes slightly bobbing its tail up and down. A characteristic behavior when inspecting its
Common Nightjar - a nocturnal bird. Its back is brownish-gray, with darker mottling and blackish longitudinal stripes, and a rusty hue. The belly is ochre-brown, with blackish-brown transverse thin stripes. There are two white spots on the throat. On the inner web of the first three primary flight feathers, there is a large white spot, and white tips are also present on the two outer pairs of tail feathers. The common nightjar is a migratory bird. It inhabits the edges of forests, steppes, and
Kobchik – a small-sized falcon It resembles a kestrel in its proportions and lifestyle but differs from it with its narrow wings. The body length of the bird ranges from 28 to 33 cm, wing length is 23-35 cm, wingspan is from 65 to 77 cm, and weight is between 130 to 197 g. The beak is short and weak. The male is dark bluish (almost black) with a brick-red underside of the belly, undertail, and "trousers." The female is ochre with a gray back featuring a transverse stripe, wings, and
Keklik (Rock Partridge) Family Phasianidae. In external appearance and body structure, the keklik closely resembles the common gray partridge but is significantly larger. Its plumage is more vibrant. The overall tone is smoky gray with a bluish-pink hue. A black stripe runs from the forehead through the eyes and around the front of the neck. The beak, the eye-ring, and the legs are bright red. They are characterized by a compact body, short neck, large head with a short curved beak,
Kwakva Resembles a bittern, length up to 60 cm. It has a shorter neck compared to other herons and a short but strong and powerful beak. Its legs are also shorter than those of other herons. The male in breeding plumage has a black cap with a greenish sheen and a back of the same color. The wings are gray. The wing length is 26-30 cm. The belly and sides are white. In spring, 2-4 long narrow white feathers grow on the back of the head. The beak is black, and the legs, with long toes, are
Karavaika - a bird from the ibis family. It measures 48-66 cm in length, weighs 500-580 g, and has a wingspan of 80-95 cm. Adult birds are dark brown with a bronze and green metallic sheen. The bare part of the head is small, dark in color, and bordered by narrow white stripes. The beak, legs, and iris are dark. In autumn and winter, the plumage is duller, with white speckles appearing on the neck, head, and chest. Young birds are brown without sheen, with white streaking on the head and neck
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). A predatory bird the size of a buzzard. Body length is 51—57 cm, wingspan is 110—130 cm. Females are generally larger than males. The weight of males is about 600 g, females up to one kg. The wings are quite short. The tail is striped, short, and rounded. The coloration varies greatly, from pale to dark brown. The flight is relatively slow. It spots prey from the air, soaring for long periods, sometimes stopping and "shaking" its wings in place, similar
Eurasian Golden Oriole - Family Oriolidae Slightly larger than a starling (body length about 25 cm). The male is bright yellow, with black wings, tail, and a "bridle" — a stripe running from the base of the beak to the eye. There are yellow spots on the sides of the black tail, the beak is red, and the iris is carmine-red. The female and chicks have a yellowish-green upper body and a yellowish-white underside with brown longitudinal streaks. The voice is a beautiful flute-like
Winter Hawk - a bird of the Accipitridae family It resembles a buzzard in build, but is somewhat larger, with longer wings and a longer tail. The predominant coloration on the underside is pale buff, very light. A characteristic element of the wing's underside coloration is small mottling on the wing coverts, a large dark brown spot at the bend of the wing, and dark tips on the primaries, forming a wide border along the trailing edge of the wing; there are also 2-4 narrow stripes on the
Gray Crane. A large bird, about 115 cm tall, with a wingspan of 180—200 cm; the male weighs up to 6 kg, and the female up to 5 kg 900 g. The plumage of most of the body is bluish-gray, which allows the bird to camouflage itself from enemies in wooded areas. The back and undertail are somewhat darker, while the wings and belly are lighter. The tips of the wings are black. The front of the head, chin, upper neck, and nape are black or dark gray.
Ruddy-tailed Shrike - a representative of the shrike family Slightly larger than a sparrow (about 20 cm long, weighing around 30 g). The plumage is dominated by reddish and light tones. The shrike has a distinctive black stripe along its eyes; by the way, the eyes themselves are also dark, with the iris blending into the sclera. The beak is medium-sized, slightly curved, which is characteristic of all predators. The beak color is dark gray. Males are brighter than females. The ruddy-tailed
