Gray-headed Goldfinch - description, habitat, interesting facts

Beautiful, miniature and colorful birds attract attention. They are fragile and very sonorous, standing out among similar members of the family. The individuals of this group belong to the finch family, today we will study the most detailed aspects affecting this variety.

Description

1. According to their overall characteristics, these birds are comparable to other sparrows. They grow along the length of the hull up to 12 cm. The maximum, this is with a summer mass of 15-20 gr.
2. The main decoration of tailed creatures is the pigmentation of plumage on the head. Stripes of white color are visible from the lateral parts. And in front of the head is gray, with black marks. The wings are black, a yellowish tint. The tail is black and white.
3. In the abdominal cavity and cheeks, the plumage is pigmented whitish. The beak is pinkish with light spots, in the format of a triangle. The tip is a grayish mark. The back is mostly brown, light, as well as the chest. The legs are painted pinkish-coffee.
4. An interesting feature is that the feathered representatives of the family almost do not differ among themselves by gender. For birds of the singing family, this is considered a rarity, since at least one difference is found.
5. As for the young, the plumage of birds is plain. Over time, these individuals become brighter. However, the outstanding feature of individuals is not coloring, but namely the voice. He is so melodious and beautiful that you can listen for a long time.
6. Bird singing is inimitable. They can play dozens or even hundreds of different sound combinations, ranging from the noise of rivers, ending with the ticking of a clock (conditionally). These birds are so cute and beautiful that they do not look like anyone else.
7. Their singing is unlimited, difficult to transmit and can not be repeated using various devices. Depending on the mood, the individual can hum a sad or, on the contrary, funny combination. Of course, it is not without the fact that some individuals are mediocre in terms of singing.

Habitat

1. These individuals prefer to settle where there is enough food to feed the whole family. Birds eat plant foods such as burdock, thistle, or burdock.
2. Despite the fact that individuals of this species prefer to live in the forest part, such a bird is not. She does not like dense thickets, she will always prefer the terrain thinned by trees.
3. Goldfinch does not live in the dark, because so the life span is greatly reduced. He likes bright open spaces, where there is a light water source nearby.

Breeding

1. As soon as winter begins, the individuals in question collapse in colonies and remain together until mid-spring. Each flock may contain more than 40 birds. At this time, the birds are trying to find a sufficient amount of food, while flying over short distances.
2. As soon as the warm season comes, individuals try to pair up. Closer to summer, birds are already completing the construction of a new home. Often nests are built on horizontal branches of trees. All kinds of branches are used as building material.
3. It is worth noting that bird dwellings are located at a sufficient height from the ground. An interesting fact is that Carduelis build very comfortable and beautiful nests. Individuals take care of their future offspring. The nest is an unusual and elegant building.
4. In the silhouette of the house there is a bowl with dense walls. It is worth noting that in the process of building birds, very thin stems of various plants are used. In addition, birds use cobwebs and roots as a fixing material.Carduelis cover nests with poplar fluff.
5. In addition, birds mask their homes with various moss, which differs in color. As a result, all uninvited guests simply do not notice the nests. Also, from the land of the dwelling of carduelis it is almost impossible to notice, because they have the same color as the bark of a tree. The location of the nest can be revealed only by the male in characteristic behavior.
6. Often males fly up to the very top of the tree and sit on its edge. After that, the bird begins to twitter. At this time, the female sits in the house, which answers him. The fact is that carduelis by nature do not belong to songbirds. During the chant, the males also begin to make unusual movements.

It is interesting to observe the behavior of birds when they are in the mating season or are already breeding. The individuals in question are very caring. In addition, they constantly chirp something to each other and dance. They ruffle feathers and show each other feelings.

Video: Gray-headed Goldfinch (Carduelis caniceps)