Big ulit • Red Book of the Ryazan region. Great snail - description, habitat, interesting facts Taken and necessary protection measures

(Tringa nebularia) the largest of the Palaearctic snails.

It is generally a gray bird with large longitudinal dark streaks on its feathers. The ventral side of the bird is white with large teardrop-shaped streaks on the crop and sides and small streaks on the throat. The back of the back and rump are white. The beak is long, its apical part is slightly curved upward. Legs are greenish. Wing length 18-19.5 cm, weight 150-200 g.

Large snail: habitat

The large snail nests from the northern part of Scandinavia and the Leningrad region to the upper reaches of Anadyr and Kamchatka, as well as in the north of England. It winters in southern Europe, Africa, South Asia and further south to Australia inclusive. Individual specimens of this species can be found in the summer south of its breeding area in the steppe parts of our country and in the desert (for example, along the Amu Darya). A small number of non-breeding individuals are also found in Africa and India, in wintering areas.

- a cautious bird, found more often alone or in small groups. Perches on trees, at least during nesting time. His voice is a loud melodic “tlui-tlui”, sometimes “kru-kru-kru”. The large snail feeds mainly on aquatic insects and their larvae - water bugs, beetles, dipteran larvae, and dragonflies. This is the only one of our waders (except the oystercatcher) that sometimes catches fish. When feeding on the water, the large snail sometimes makes quick vibrating movements with its paws on the ground, stirs up the water and then catches the invertebrates that have risen up.

Vida

Appearance and behavior. The largest of the snails, almost the size of a pigeon, with a relatively long beak and long legs. The general color tone, except for the white belly, is light gray. The wings are long, sharp and narrow. Body length 30–35 cm, wingspan 53–60 cm, weight 135–270 g. Males and females are equally colored.

Description. Adult birds in breeding plumage are white below, with brownish-black longitudinal stripes on the throat, neck, chest and sides. The head and neck are also dotted with black longitudinal stripes. The interscapular and humeral regions, as well as the wings above, are gray and black, with white spots and black transverse stripes. The middle of the back and rump are white. In a flying bird, the white coloring of these parts of the body is clearly visible in the form of a wedge extending far onto the back. The underside of the wing is light. The tail feathers are white with a brown transverse pattern. The tail is straight cut, only the central pair of tail feathers is slightly longer than the others and has grayish tips. In a flying bird, only the fingers protrude beyond the edge of the tail. The legs are olive-greenish or greenish-gray. There is a very small membrane between the bases of the middle and outer fingers; between the middle and inner fingers it is practically not expressed. The beak is gray-slate, powerful, with a characteristic slight upward bend in the anterior third. Brown rainbow.

Adult birds in winter plumage are white below with brown spots on the front and sides of the neck. The pattern of the upper body is similar to that of birds in summer, but the dark areas of the plumage are generally gray. The middle of the forehead and sides of the head are white. A young bird in youthful plumage is brownish-brown above with pale buffy feather edges. The underside of the body is white, on the sides of the neck and chest there are brown longitudinal stripes and a faint brown transverse wavy pattern. The middle pair of tail feathers is the same color as the neighboring ones.

Young birds in their first winter plumage are similar to adults in winter, but the middle pair of tail feathers is without gray tips. The downy chick is light brownish above with blackish, irregularly shaped spots, and pure white below. A wide black stripe runs along the middle of the back, and a pale ocher stripe runs along its sides. The forehead is white, a black stripe runs from the base of the beak through the middle of the forehead to the crown, another black stripe stretches from the beak to the eye through the frenulum. The middle of the crown is black with pale buffy spots and stripes. A white stripe runs above the eye to the back of the head. It differs from other snails in its large size and rather powerful long beak with a characteristic slight upward bend in the apical third. The white color from the loin and rump extends at an angle far down the back.

In a flying bird, only the ends of the fingers protrude beyond the edge of the tail, which, together with its large size and powerful beak, distinguishes the large snail well from.

Voice. The call in flight is a loud two-syllable “ tyyu-lyuyuv" or three-syllable " wow-wow-wow" When taking off from the ground they emit a loud, powerful " thuy" or " bye bye" Current song - loud, leisurely " tu-ve, tu-ve, tu-ve..." or " aphids, aphids, aphids..." The cry of concern near the brood is a sharp loud " bye bye bye bye...».

Distribution, status. Forest zone of Eurasia from Scotland and the Scandinavian Peninsula to Kamchatka and the lower reaches of the Amur. In the north it reaches the forest-tundra, in the south up to the subzone of mixed forests, in Western Siberia in places it extends into the forest-steppe. In the European part of Russia it breeds from forest-tundra to mixed forests, most common in the middle and northern taiga. Winters in Africa, the Middle East, the southern Caspian Sea, Pakistan, India, Indochina, eastern China, Indonesia and Australia.

Lifestyle. It arrives at breeding sites early, at the beginning of the growing season of semi-aquatic vegetation - from mid-April in the south of the breeding range to mid-May in the north, in the forest-tundra. Flies singly or in flocks. To feed and rest, it stops along the banks of rivers in floodplain floodplains and near lakes with grassy banks, in sedge and cotton grass watershed swamps. After being distributed among the territories, the males begin mating. During lekking flight, which is an alternation of ascents and descents, the male flies over his area with a song. After the formation of a pair, the intensity of the current decreases. A couple from a couple settles at a considerable distance. Nesting habitats are grass and sedge-moss bogs, damp meadows, overgrown peat quarries, grassy shores of forest lakes, extensive clearings among pine forests, raised bogs, heather wastelands, forest-tundra shrub woodlands with swamps.

The nest is located on the ground among dense low-growing bushes, often near a small tree or stump, on moss hummocks, between fallen trees in clearings, between stones on bushy mountain slopes, in any case, near a large noticeable object. The clutch consists of 4 pear-shaped eggs, in which blackish or reddish-brown large and small spots are scattered over a pale-brown, pale-olive or cream background. The nest has a thick lining of moss, lichens, fragments of twigs, pieces of pine bark, stems of herbaceous plants, that is, those materials that can be found in the immediate vicinity of the nest. Both parents incubate the clutch for 24–25 days. When there is danger, they take off in advance or hide, leaving the nest only when a person comes close. If nests are destroyed, they can nest again. When there is disturbance at the nest or near the chicks, they fly out towards danger, fly around with frequent screams, sometimes imitate an attack, and often perch on the tops of trees.

After the chicks hatch, the families move to the shore of a pond, to a swamp, or to a damp place in a forest or meadow. The chicks swim well, willingly go into the water and swim across small bodies of water. Both parents lead the chicks; in some cases, the female leaves the brood before the young birds take wing. The chicks become flightable at the age of about a month. It feeds mainly on aquatic insects - water striders and other water bugs, dipteran larvae, dragonflies, as well as fish fry. During wintering, it eats small crabs, mollusks, and polychaetes. It catches prey in the water, and often goes deep into it, plunging up to its belly, and also collects silt or damp sand from the surface. Probes the sludge regularly. When fishing, it runs through shallow water and makes deft sharp turns with its whole body from side to side, while plunging its beak and sometimes even its head into the water. He grabs the fish across the body with the end of his beak, then turns it with sharp movements so that the head is directed towards the throat, and then swallows it.

A representative of the snipe family, a rare species that requires protection and protection. This article will talk about the big snail in a detailed format.

Description, appearance

The snail is not too large in size, the weight of adult individuals ranges from 110 to 280 grams. The body shape is slightly elongated. The paws are dark green in color and quite long. The beak is upturned, the tip points upward. The wings, in comparison with the rest of the color, stand out. They are usually dark. Small specks are distributed from the head in a uniform and beautiful pattern. The lower part of the body is white without any inclusions or peculiar patterns. Thanks to such an interesting color, the large snail cannot be confused with other birds. Young representatives are similar to adults, but there are some distinctive features. Their chest is off-white, with dark markings, streaks and stripes.

Spreading

They are very fond of various bodies of water and wetlands. They migrate in small groups, about 10 birds.

Nesting and breeding

Their nest is a hole in the ground, usually quite small. The female lays 4 eggs and incubates them for 24 days. They build nests near any source of water, it can be a river, a pond, a swamp. There must also be a noticeable object nearby. They do this, guided by the instinct of self-preservation, which allows them to protect themselves from certain threats. The adult representatives are very caring and accompany the chicks until they fly. The babies' muscles are slowly strengthening and becoming stronger every day. But adult birds still show anxiety and restlessness.

Voice

Relatives

It is impossible not to talk about the so-called “relatives” of the big snail. This includes the morodunka. It also has an upturned beak and an interesting coloration. But her paws are dark yellow. He also likes to winter in Africa, Western Europe. But in Italy it is rarely seen - this is rather an exception. Morodunka is also spreading in Russia. As a comfortable place for its nests, it chooses warm areas near rivers and various reservoirs. A very similar behavior pattern to large waders; they show care for their offspring.

Number

The large snail is a worthy representative of its family. The bird has an unusual color, which makes it immediately noticeable. Unfortunately, a trend towards a reduction in this species has been noticed. The issue became very acute, and some measures were taken. After all, this greatly alarmed the specialists. The environment is deteriorating every year, many species of animals, birds, and plants are disappearing. Therefore, we must try to preserve nature and what it has given. Measures are required that help improve the situation and create a certain balance and harmony that reigned until a person began to destroy everything that prevented him from achieving his selfish goals. We have now begun to actively implement measures to protect environment, and it really helps.

Likewise, the number of large snail has increased over the past decade. The species has mastered new places where it now builds its nests and raises its offspring. For example, representatives of the family were spotted in the Moscow region.

Measures taken to see improvements
It is worth noting those measures that helped increase the numbers. Firstly, the species was listed in the Red Book. This made it possible to draw attention to such a problem as disappearance over a certain period of time. After all, every year the figure became smaller. Protected nests played an important role in the spread of the large snail in the Moscow region. The day before, recommendations were put forward on organizing protection sites for birds. They are under the protection of professionals, which will keep them safe. The snails found acceptable living conditions and a suitable climate. Now you can be sure that everything will be fine, and perhaps the species will “grow” and spread to other areas.

Video: Great snail (Tringa nebularia)

A lot of game birds live in swamps and fresh water bodies. Snails are one of them. They stand out small size, with a long beak, which is used to obtain food from bodies of water. Different kinds nest in North America and Eurasia. The most famous in Russia are the great ulit and the goldfinch. There are still enough of them in the forests, swamps, and tundras of the country. There are also very rare Okhotsk individuals among the species. Seeing them is very rare and lucky.

Description of the snail bird

Snipes are representatives of snipes. The genus includes about 10 species. The largest is the large snail. Its size resembles that of a dove. The wings are narrow and elongated. The body grows up to 35 centimeters, weight – 130-270 grams. The wingspan is 50-60 centimeters.

The legs are long. In flight, the toes protrude beyond the edge of the tail. Their color is olive green or grey-green. A membrane is visible between the outer and middle fingers at the base. Between the inner and middle fingers it is practically absent.

The bird's beak is elongated, grayish in color, and powerful. The anterior third has a slight upward bend. The iris of the eye is brown.

The color changes depending on the age of the snail and the time of year. The young ones have a brown-brown upperparts. The edges of the feathers are pale buffy. The coloration becomes similar to the adult's in winter, but even then the tail feathers do not have gray tips.

Females and males have the same color. It is difficult to distinguish them. This applies to all representatives of the genus.

The voice of the big snail

The bird makes various sounds. In flight, these are three-syllable variations of “tuyu-lyuyuv”. Taking off from the ground, she loudly shouts “tyuy”. At the lek, individuals loudly and leisurely hum “tu-ve...”. If danger is noticed near the brood, you can hear a restless “bye-bye-bye...”.

Types of snails

All snails have common features– long beak and legs. Body size and color can vary significantly depending on the species.

Representatives of the genus:

• American Ash - body length 26-30 centimeters, weight 90-125 grams. The beak is dark in color, as is the upper body. The plumage changes from sandy gray on the back to white with brown stripes on the belly. Lives mainly in Alaska and Canada. Nesting occurs on the banks of mountain rivers and lakes.
• Yellowlegs is very similar to a large representative of the genus. The body grows to 23-25 ​​centimeters, weight 60-100 grams. The beak reaches 3-4 centimeters, and the legs – 5-7 centimeters. The color is gray-brown on the back, white on the belly. It nests in North America and winters in the Gulf of Mexico and South America.
• Hermit - the body has a length of 18-21 centimeters, weight 35-60 grams. The plumage on the back is brown and uneven. The chest is white. Nesting takes place in the forests of Canada and Alaska.
• Okhotsk - the body grows to 29-32 centimeters, the beak has two colors: the base is brownish, the top is black. The upperparts are dark, the underparts are white. The legs are noticeably shorter than other representatives of the genus and have webbed legs.

• Ashy - body length 24-27 centimeters, weight 85-115 grams. The color is similar to the American specimen. Can use old thrush nests for laying.
• Hymenoptera - is divided into two subspecies: western and eastern. The latter was endangered due to hunting. Today the situation with numbers is improving. Developed membranes are visible on the legs. The main color is smoky.
• Motley - length 36 centimeters. The color is mottled gray-brown. Representative of Canada.
• Sandpiper - body length 22-24 centimeters, weight 55-85 grams. The beak is slightly thinner than that of other representatives of the genus. The plumage on the back is gray-brown with black inserts, and on the belly it is white.
• Herbalist - grows up to 30 centimeters, gaining weight up to 170 grams. The base of the beak is orange and the tip is black. Because of the color of its paws, it is also called the “red leg”. The overall color has a brown and white pattern.
• Fifi - body length 15-25 centimeters, similar to a herbalist.
• Chernysh – size 21-24 centimeters, weight 50-80 grams. The beak is noticeably shorter than that of other snails and is colored black. The pattern on the back is dotted, the belly is white. It can be recognized by its constant wagging of its tail. Loves to sit on tree branches.
• Goldfinch - length 30 centimeters, weight 110-200 grams. The beak is slightly curved downwards, dark in color, except for a slightly reddish base. The legs are black in warm weather and turn red in cold weather. The plumage is matte black with white spots.

There are several more representatives of the snipe family that are close to snails. It's about about carriers, morodunks.

Range, habitats

Snails – migratory birds. They nest in northern regions, and winter in the southern ones. There are species that are common only in North America. They are rarely found in Europe. They have chosen the forests of Alaska, nesting near lakes, ponds, and rivers. Some species, on the contrary, live only in Eurasia. For the winter they go to Africa, Australia, and India.

Species living on the territory of the Russian Federation:

• American Ash – was spotted in Russia on the Kuril Island of Ekarma;
• Okhotsk - on the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, Sakhalin Island;
• ashy - also called Siberian, because it nests in the mountains of Siberia, found in Chukotka, Kamchatka;
• porcupine - found in steppes and taiga swamps;
• Chernysh is an inhabitant of damp forests and swamps of Siberia;
• Goldfinch - nests on the Kola Peninsula, found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Kolyma, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, off the shores of Lake Ladoga.

Individuals fly to nesting sites singly or in flocks. They avoid human settlements and are overly cautious.

Diet

Snails feed mainly on food of animal origin. With their long beaks they comb the shallow waters, collecting food. Sometimes they dip their entire head in water when eating.

The main diet may consist of the following products:

• insects, including bedbugs;
• small fish;
• seeds;
• crustaceans;
• shellfish;
• sea ​​worms;
• berries;
• tadpoles;
• snails.

Some species can feed on frogs. If necessary, individuals are able to run on water, swim and even dive. The bird grabs the fish with the tip of its beak, holding the carcass across. With a sharp movement, they turn the victim's head towards the throat and swallow it whole.

Reproduction and offspring

Snails arrive to nest in the spring. Males first distribute their territories, and then begin mating. It looks like a flight with alternate ascents and descents. At this time, the male sings a song. When a pair is formed, the mating loses its intensity. Birds are usually monogamous, although polygamy also occurs.

Each pair has its own vast territory. For nesting, damp places are chosen in the form of moss swamps, meadows, grassy banks, and heather heaths.

Nests can be made in trees, rocks, or in the ground; some species use old thrush nests. Large snails place it on the ground around low-growing bushes. The structure consists of a thick moss lining, pieces of bark and other materials that lie nearby. There are usually 4 eggs in a clutch. The shape of each of them is pear-shaped, the color is cream or olive with many spots of black or brown tone. In other species, the color and size of eggs may vary.

Both parents do the incubation. This usually takes about 20 days. In case of danger, they can hide and fly out of the nest. If the eggs are destroyed, the birds may nest again.

When the chicks hatch, the family moves to the shore of the reservoir, to a damp area, a wetland. The young are active from the first days of life. Chicks learn not only to fly, but also to swim. They become independent a month after their appearance.

Goldfinches alternate incubation only for the first few days after laying. The female then leaves the nest to join a same-sex flock and fly away for the winter. The male himself continues to incubate and take care of the chicks until they fledge.

Natural enemies

Snails, like most swamp game, suffer greatly from crows, magpies, and jackdaws. IN large quantities they are capable of not only destroying clutches, but also stealing unfledged chicks. After waiting for the parents to fly away for food, the raven grabs the baby, sits on a branch with the prey and eats its entrails. If there is a flock of 25 jackdaws near the nesting site, they can destroy most of the young.

The marsh harrier is no less dangerous for snails. The predator specializes exclusively in birds, and it can kill more than it is willing to eat. He hunts from spring to autumn.

Many birds of prey can destroy a nest, especially if they lack the usual food in the form of rodents and insects. Martens, weasels, and ferrets do the same thing.

Interesting! In case of danger, the ulit hatching the chicks may try to feign an attack.

Population and species status

Snails are among the birds whose conservation status is of least concern. But this does not apply to all individuals. So the Okhotsk species is rare, small in number, listed under the status of endangered individuals. The ashy is endangered in Australia, where it winters.

The greatest risk of extinction comes from human activity. It's not just about hunting, it's about global problems for drying swamps, reservoirs, and deforestation. Birds have no place to breed and their numbers are declining.

Snails in cooking

To get snail meat, you have to try hard. A representative of waders sits firmly in the thickets; it takes off only when a person approaches closely. Hunters usually get this bird when looking for other swamp game. But there are also those who deliberately go for the big snail.

There are two main methods of hunting. The first is to arrange stuffed birds or profiles. When individuals flock to the trap, they are shot. The second method is drive hunting. Implies the presence of three or more hunters. One of them moves through the swamp to scare away the bird, while the others shoot. A dog will not be superfluous in such a matter. Of course, if she is accustomed to such hunting.

It is better to hunt in summer and autumn to give the bird the opportunity to raise offspring. Moreover, spring hunting may be prohibited.

Game bird meat is not valued for the presence of nutrients, although there are plenty of them. It is popular due to the absence of artificial food additives and antibiotics. If Domestic bird eats only what is given to her, then the wild one chooses the best for herself. She instinctively eats necessary and healthy foods.

Snipe meat is dietary, nutritious, and not fatty. It is rich in vitamin E, B, potassium, iron. It contains enough linoleic acid, which regulates fat metabolism.

The carcasses turn out to be small, so it is better to bake them cut up. The marinade can include honey, Tabasco sauce, vegetable oil, and rum. The meat is baked for 10-30 minutes.

While hunting, you can cook a nutritious broth from a couple of carcasses. They are also good to roast on a spit or stew. If desired, you can fill it with minced meat, buckwheat and even bread. For true gourmets, there is poultry cheese. It takes time to prepare, but fromage is worth the effort. The input is poultry meat and broth. If there are a lot of carcasses, then the giblets can be cooked separately with mushrooms.

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