In the Leningrad region, a lot of birds nest and feed. Particularly attracted the attention of people is a rather motley and sonorous family of finch. What kind of birds of the Leningrad region make up this family?
Finch
Until mid-summer, you can hear the beautiful song of the finch, which flies to Russia from March to April. Arrival time depends on what spring has stood out. Since mid-May, birds have been laying and begin to hatch chicks. Finch nests are most often found
on spruce, pine, birch and alder. However, they can also settle on other trees. However, finches sometimes have to rebuild the nest several times, because it often turns out to be ruined. Chicks are fed with insects that are easy to find (spiders, larvae, sometimes flies), seeds and small grains. From the second half of August to September, many birds of the Leningrad Region, including finches, fly away in search of food and warmth.
Greenfinch
This bird can be confused by voice with a bullfinch, titmouse or sparrow. She likes to dilute her trills with phrases borrowed from other pichugs. Zelenushka is also included in the list of “Birds of the finch family of the Leningrad region” and is found quite often in the south and west of the region. And in the north and east, meetings with her are quite rare. These birds like to settle near people. Therefore, greenfinch can be seen in old parks. But it is also found on forest edges near the fields. Pichuga chooses places where there is spruce undergrowth. Since she feeds on the seeds of various weeds, she flies from one area to another during the summer in search of fresh food. In late April and May, males sing for a long time, sitting on the tops of trees.
Siskin
And what other birds of the Leningrad region belong to finch? Of course, everyone knows the siskin! These
songbirds of the Leningrad region are amazing, one might even say special. And all because if the siskins have enough food, then they can stay for the winter. When food is not enough, they behave like migrants - fly away in the fall, and fly only in the spring. Sometimes marked birds make swift flights overcoming 160 km per day. In this case, ringed, for example, in Finland siskins can be registered in almost all European countries. The main diet of siskin is made up of
seeds of birch, alder and spruce. Siskins are public birds. They not only look for food together in packs, but also nest with large families, arranging nests like dormitories. The first song of the siskin can be heard in February. And in May, females begin to hatch offspring, which are fed with seeds.
Goldfinch
Shcheglov in the Leningrad region can be found almost all year round. But still, most birds of this species prefer to fly over to the richer fodder areas for the winter. Goldfinch lodges in open areas rich in burdock and other weeds. From April to the end of August you can hear the males singing. But in good weather, they can sing until October. Goldfinches during the summer have time to bring out two broods, feeding the chicks mainly with seeds of burdock, ovaries of grass flowers, as well as the ovary of elm and linden. Along the way, adults are collected for the younger generation and small larvae of flower flies, caterpillars. If someone is interested in birds of the Leningrad Region with a photo, then, considering the pictures, he will definitely draw conclusions: the merits of goldfinches are also in their bright beauty