Red-breasted handsome, or Where do the bullfrog winter?

Winter is definitely a beautiful time of year. But the nature becomes even more elegant when on the trees covered with snow, our winter guests appear - red-breasted handsome bullfrogs! Males are birds with a red breast, in which the back is bluish-gray, and the head is black. Samochki look more modest. Let's find out where the bullfrogs winter, what they eat and how they live.

Days of snowballs ...

Usually these birds are kept not too largeflocks (about ten individuals in each). This sounds paradoxical, but the frosts are stronger, so the flocks are calmer. They are almost motionless, only sometimes they "come to life" for the sake of some frozen berry or kidney on a tree, after which they again freeze, sitting motionless for a while on the trees. So the days of snow are going ... When the darkness comes, the gaggle disappears in the bushes or branches of trees for the night shelter.

One for all, and all for one!

Bullfinch - birds are sociable, rather trustingand friendly. They will never abandon their kindred in trouble. If any bird from their flock suddenly fell into a trap, the rest rush to her rescue!

Life is family ...

When March comes, bullfinches, whose photospresented below, fly to the nests in pairs. In April, the female herself hastens to build a nest. It looks like this: free-laid branches, roots of lichens and wool form a free structure. She usually lays about five eggs. While the female incubates them, the male feeds her and protects him from all sorts of trouble. Already a month after birth, the nestlings boldly leave the nest. And now let's understand, what is there to eat in the places where the bullfrogs spend the winter?

Dinner is served!

Of course, Mother Winter is not famous for itsbounties with respect to provisions. Therefore, birds have to eat monotonous food. Where the bullfrogs spend the winter, the choice of the "menu" is usually not very large. But even so, the feed range of especially active individuals can be quite wide! This is due to the constant search for food. If we watch the same active bullfin all day, then we will be tired of doing it, since the places of feeding are very diverse! Generally bullfinches are grainy birds feeding on seeds of trees, their kidneys, berries. With their thick beaks they choose only the seeds of berries, and throw out the pulp! They do not mind eating nuts. Very fond of mountain ash. Its fruits attract not only these birds, but also many other forest inhabitants, including mammals. Having eaten mountain ash, these birds start to clean the beak, as the seeds of its berries constantly stick to it. The funniest thing about this is that during the cleaning of the beak, the seeds of mountain ash fall to the ground, growing in spring. So bullfinches are also useful "gardeners"!

Habitat

These birds are widespread in almost allEurope, except for the southernmost and northern regions, and also in Asia (north of the Himalayas and to Japan). Where the climate is more or less mild, the birds live either permanently or fly, but not very far from their nesting places. South, where winter bullfinchs with a northern character, is the most paradisiacal place for these birds. They are littered among mixed breeds, rich in branched bushes, as well as in coniferous forests and mountains. Although some individuals prefer the usual thick vegetation, located along the ordinary streams.