Wall newspapers of the charitable educational project “Briefly and clearly about the most interesting things” (site site) are intended for schoolchildren, parents and teachers of St. Petersburg. They are delivered free of charge to most educational institutions, as well as to a number of hospitals, orphanages and other institutions in the city. The project's publications do not contain any advertising (only founders' logos), are politically and religiously neutral, written in easy language, and well illustrated. They are intended as informational “inhibition” of students, awakening cognitive activity and the desire to read. Authors and publishers, without pretending to provide academic completeness of the material, publish interesting facts, illustrations, interviews with famous figures of science and culture and thereby hope to increase the interest of schoolchildren in educational process. Please send your comments and suggestions to: pangea@mail.. We thank the education department of the Kirovsky district administration of St. Petersburg for their support at the start of the project and everyone who selflessly helps in distributing wall newspapers. Special thanks to the publishing house Amphora for the book “Animals of Our Country” (2010), the material of which is the basis for this issue.

© N. N. Charushina-Kapustina, illustrations, 2017.

© V. M. Brave, text, 2017.

Dear friends! Our series “Nature of the Native Land” continues with an issue that combines the work of two remarkable masters of their craft. “I was born into a surprisingly bright and friendly family, and my childhood was the same - surprisingly bright and joyful... The smell of rotten leaves, warmed by the sun, frogs began to purr, flocks of geese flew, ducks whistled with their wings - everything was filled with life, came to life before our eyes. Since then, real spring begins for me with the first song of the blackbird. I feel the delight of a child who New Year's Eve I found a gift under the tree when at the end of March, from somewhere far away, at sunset, a blackbird quietly begins to sing! And there is no happier and richer person than me at this moment!” This is how N. N. Charushina-Kapustina, successor to the dynasty of wonderful artists Charushins, talks about her childhood. Natalya Nikitichna kindly agreed to provide her drawings for our wall newspaper. And the text, which was written by a St. Petersburg ornithologist, candidate of biological sciences, senior researcher at the Zoological Institute Russian Academy Sciences Vladimir Mikhailovich Brave, makes this issue not only visual and interesting, but also scientifically reliable. In the “Nature of the Native Land” series, read our following issues on the website: “Wildlife of St. Petersburg parks” (No. 43), “Beasts of our forests” (No. 56), “Rare birds of the Leningrad region” (No. 59), “Butterflies of Leningrad region" (No. 92), "Fishes of the Leningrad Region" (No. 94), "Protected territories of St. Petersburg" (No. 95), "Protected territories of the Leningrad Region" (No. 97) and a number of others.

Thank you for being with us!

White hare

Who doesn't know the hare? The ears are long, the tail is short and stubby. In summer, the white hare is slate or reddish-gray, in winter it is white. It lives in floodplain meadows and sparse deciduous forests. The hare has a lot of enemies, he is afraid of everyone. During the day he sleeps, hiding under a bush or in the grass. In winter it digs holes in the snow. At night the hare comes out to feed. It eats grass, branches, gnaws bark from trees, for which gardeners do not favor it. Hares are fertile. The first litter - baby bunnies - appears when the snow has not yet melted. The second - in the middle of summer, and the third, deciduous - in the fall. In spring, males often fight - they stand on their hind legs and “box” with their front legs. Hares rarely give voice; they only scream loudly and pitifully when they are frightened.

Squirrel

The squirrel is a forest dweller, but is also found in city parks. A cute animal with a fluffy tail, very trusting, deftly jumps from branch to branch, moves freely up and down the tree trunk, and runs quickly along the ground. During the day, the squirrel feeds by collecting berries, mushrooms, and tree fruits. It can destroy bird nests by eating eggs and chicks. The squirrel makes provisions for the winter, hiding in hollows and burying acorns, cones, nuts between the roots, hanging mushrooms on the branches, but often forgets about its pantries and uses the supplies of mice and chipmunks. At night it sleeps on a tree in a haina - a spherical nest of twigs, bast and moss, lined with wool and feathers on the inside. A frightened squirrel makes a loud noise.

Hedgehog

In deciduous forests, in clearings and forest edges, you can find a hedgehog. His entire body, except for his soft fluffy belly and elongated shaggy muzzle with shiny beady eyes and a black, always wet nose, is covered with needles. Usually the hedgehog spends the whole day in a nest, which it constructs from leaves and branches somewhere under the roots of a tree. In the evening, the hedgehog wakes up and wanders through the forest at night, feeding on insects, frogs, snails and mice. Contrary to popular belief, the hedgehog does not prick food on its needles, but sometimes carries dry leaves pinned on its needles to the nest. Having eaten enough over the summer, the hedgehog sleeps in its nest all winter. In the spring, male hedgehogs sing, their song is a monotonous panting.

Fox

A fox can be seen in a field, in a forest, in a meadow, on the shore of a pond. You can't confuse her with anyone. The red fox fur coat and long fluffy tail with a white tip are painfully noticeable. Winter fur is thicker and longer than summer fur. The fox is a very smart animal. In winter, she digs out mice running in the snow by hearing them - she mouses. In summer it catches frogs, small birds and animals. When preparing to hatch their cubs, foxes dig cunning, long holes with several exits. And sometimes they settle in those dug up by a badger or other animal. Foxes are caring parents. The male takes care of the female and her cubs. The fox's voice is clear and she barks.

Gray wolf

This large animal looks like a dog, whose ancestor he is. Only the wolf’s muzzle is wider, its forehead is more convex and its tail (hunters call it a “log”) is usually lowered. U forest wolves the wool is gray, in the tundra it is almost white, in the steppe it is reddish. The wolf avoids dense forests. It makes dens only for breeding offspring, in thickets of bushes or crevices. The main prey of wolves in the forests are elk, roe deer, deer, and wild boars. But the gray predator does not disdain small prey: hares, birds, bird eggs. Wolves are very smart, deftly avoid danger, and are skilled in hunting, which they conduct in packs. They are silent animals, but in autumn and winter wolves often howl.

Lynx

This large forest cat on high legs, with long tufts on its ears, is a very cautious animal. She lives in dense forests, away from human habitation. The lynx is an excellent hunter, guarding its prey for a long time in ambush. During the day, she usually lies down in her lair under the upturned roots of a tree, in a hole or crevice, and at dusk she looks for prey. The lynx feeds on small animals and birds, but can attack large birds and deer fawns. The lynx is silent, but in the spring it purrs and screams loudly and sharply. In the silence of the night, these sounds produce an eerie impression on a person.

Elk

One of the largest animals in our forests is elk. It is easily recognized by its long powerful legs, hook-nosed muzzle and high, hump-shaped withers. Adult males grow large, spade-like horns. In late autumn, the elk sheds its antlers and walks without them until spring. In the summer, when moose are plagued by heat and midges, they rest during the day and go out to graze at night. In winter, on the contrary, they feed during the day and sleep in the snow at night. The moose feeds on branches of trees and bushes. His voice can be heard at the end of summer in the mornings and evenings. At this time, the males moan - muffled and moaning protractedly.

Boar

If you come across dug up soil in a forest or field, you know: a herd of wild boar was grazing here. The wild boar (boar) differs from its descendant, the domestic pig, by its laterally flattened body, thick and long grey-black-brown bristles and black patch. Old boars grow large tusks that protrude from under their snouts. The little piglets of wild boars are striped. Boars live in large families. They spend the day lying down, and when evening comes, they wander through the forests and fields in search of food, dig the ground and eat roots, seeds and fruits of plants, larvae and bugs. They swim in deep puddles or holes filled with water and mud. Wild boars, like domestic pigs, grunt. An angry boar is very dangerous.

Brown bear

The bear is clumsy in appearance - large, heavy-set, club-footed. In fact, it is a very agile and formidable forest animal that runs quickly, swims beautifully and climbs trees. One blow from a mighty bear's paw can break a bison's back. Although the bear is a predator, for the most part it feeds on herbs, berries, fruits, grains and plant roots. In winter, the clubfoot sleeps in a den, under the protection of a windbreak or uprooted tree roots. Sometimes, not having had time to fatten up during the fall, he wakes up and wanders around in search of food - he becomes a connecting rod. In February, cubs are born in bear dens. The bear is silent, but sometimes it growls so loudly that your soul sinks into your heels.

Pine marten

Jumping from branch to branch, a long-tailed brown animal with a large yellow spot on its throat moves through the forest like lightning - a pine marten, or yellowjacket. Its long, bushy tail helps it maintain balance when climbing and jumping. The marten feels equally at home in trees and on the ground. During the day, she rests in hollows, abandoned nests of squirrels or birds of prey, and at dusk she goes out hunting. It feeds mainly on squirrels and forest birds, which it kills with a bite to the back of the head. Some martens search for the nests of wild bees and eat honey. In late summer and autumn they store food for the winter. A frightened marten makes an unpleasant, creaking hiss.

Otter

On rivers and lakes rich in fish, the otter is found - a long, short-legged animal with a thick, naked and muscular tail. Its streamlined body is perfectly suited for swimming. The paws have special swimming membranes. The fur does not get wet in water. Seeing an otter is not easy. She is very cautious and hunts at night. It feeds on fish, sometimes eating frogs, rodents, and birds. Lives in burrows among coastal thickets. On land it looks clumsy, but in water it moves quickly, overtaking even the most fast fish. The otter is a very active animal that spends a lot of time playing. When playing, the animals emit long, unpleasant-to-hear trills.

Beaver

A small stream in the forest that suddenly turned into a large lake is the work of beavers. Beavers are natural dam builders. This is how they regulate the water level in their habitats. After all, the beaver is a semi-aquatic animal. Its flat, bare tail, covered with horny scutes, resembles an oar. Beavers feed on bark and thin branches of trees and shrubs. They live as a large family in coastal burrows or huts, which they build on a dam or on the shore from brushwood coated with clay. In the fall, beavers store a lot of branches underwater - enough to last throughout the winter. They feed and work mainly at night. In case of danger, they dive, giving an alarm signal - loudly slapping their tail on the water.

Badger

Few people see the badger. And all because he leads a nocturnal lifestyle. The badger digs deep branched burrows on the slopes of sandy hills, forest ravines and gullies. Sometimes these are entire settlements. This is where the badger spends most of the daylight hours. And as soon as it gets dark, he goes out hunting, wanders around his hole, looking for insects, mice, frogs, fruits and plant roots - fattening up fat, which has very valuable properties. In the north, the badger hibernates in the fall until spring. In the spring, badgers give birth to cubs. At night in the forest you can sometimes hear a loud and ringing cry of a badger, similar to the cry of a goose.

Viper

Having gone into the forest to pick mushrooms and berries, you can meet a viper at the edge of the forest, clearing, overgrown burnt area or swamp, poisonous snake, whose bite is painful and very dangerous. Vipers love to bask in the sun, settling on paths, stumps, hummocks and stones. Sometimes they even crawl into the garden and meadow. When meeting a person, the viper usually tries to hide. But if he sees him as a threat, he hisses and makes throws. Therefore, it is better not to make sudden movements when meeting her. At night, vipers hunt mice, frogs and insects. The viper is a viviparous snake: the eggs develop and the young hatch in the womb. Two or three times a year, vipers molt, shedding their old skin. In the fall, they hide in holes and crevices, preparing to hibernate.

Already

Already is a harmless creature. He is easily tamed. It is distinguished from other snakes by two large, clearly visible light spots on the sides of the head (“ears”). He lives near water - he loves to swim and often swims. It feeds mainly on frogs and rodents. In the summer, the snake lays several dozen eggs, covered not with a shell, but with a soft leathery shell, in a pile of rotten leaves, a cushion of moss or a rotten stump. After about two months, small snakes hatch from the eggs. First of all, they must find a place for wintering: on the calendar it is already the end of summer or the beginning of autumn. Snakes overwinter in large groups deep under tree roots or under stone heaps.

Brittle spindle

In the summer, at the edge of the forest, a nimble creature will sometimes flash among the fallen leaves. Body like a snake, blunt tail. This is a legless lizard - a spindle. It can be easily distinguished from a snake by its moving eyelids. Because of its yellowish color it is also called copperhead. In winter, she sleeps in a deep hole or under the roots of a stump. And at the beginning of summer, this legless lizard gives birth to cubs. It was called spindly because its body shape resembles a spindle, and brittle because of the ability to shed its tail, which is characteristic of many lizards. They grabbed her by the tail, and she did it! – she broke it off and threw it away. The main thing is to get away from danger, and a new tail will grow.

Lizard

These nimble creatures come across you everywhere, darting around on warm days in the garden, in the vegetable garden, in the forest among stones and plants. Many people are wary of lizards; some consider them harmful and even poisonous. However, lizards are not just harmless - they bring enormous benefits by eating a great variety of different garden pests. If lizards have settled in your garden or vegetable garden, do not drive them away or catch them to admire or play. The most common sand lizards in the southern regions reproduce by laying eggs in the soil. In the middle zone and to the north there is a viviparous lizard.

Triton

Newts are close relatives of frogs, but, unlike them, they have a tail. Look for newts in shallow bodies of water, in damp, shady places in secluded corners of the forest or old garden. In summer, they swim briskly in the water, periodically rising to the surface for air. On land you will very rarely see a newt - except perhaps immediately after a warm July rain on a forest path. Female newts lay eggs on the leaves of aquatic plants, from which offspring hatch after two to three weeks. Newts are beneficial amphibians. They destroy mosquito larvae, including malaria ones. Newts overwinter under a thick moss cover, in rotten stumps, root passages, rodent and mole burrows, basements and cellars.

pond frog

The pond frog lives in a variety of reservoirs in deciduous and mixed forests. It is often called green due to its bright green coloration with a light stripe along the back and some black spots. The pond frog is thermophilic. And her winter hibernation is long, and in the spring she revives only after truly warm days. At the end of May, the female pond frog lays two to three thousand eggs, from which tadpoles emerge - future frogs. The pond frog feeds on beetles, mosquitoes, ants and other small crawling and flying insects.

grass frog

In forests and fields, in thickets of bushes and wet meadows, in swamps, along the banks of rivers and lakes, even in populated areas, the grass frog is found. It is olive or reddish-brown above, with dark spots on the back and sides. In spring, males have a blue throat and are lighter in color than females. Having awakened from hibernation, frogs gather in large numbers in puddles, ditches, forest ponds, and oxbow lakes, where females lay eggs. The twilight is announced by frog choirs - loud croaking. The female grass frog lays more than a thousand eggs, from which tadpoles hatch. The grass frog feeds on beetles, caterpillars, mollusks, earthworms and spiders.

Toad

The gray toad, large, slow, lives in forests and groves, parks and gardens, and vegetable gardens. Toads' skin is dry, pimply, and may be covered in acrid secretions. Therefore, after touching the toad, it is better to wash your hands so that these caustic substances do not get into your mouth or eyes. But the idea that warts appear from this is complete nonsense. Caustic mucus is the only protection of these very useful animals that rid gardens and vegetable gardens of pests. Adult toads feed on a variety of invertebrate animals, often exterminating those that birds do not eat.

Bullfinch

In winter, everything around is painted in strict white and black tones. But then bright, elegant red-breasted birds flew to a bare lilac or hawthorn bush. These are male bullfinch – the female’s plumage is not so bright, her breast is greenish-gray. All summer the bullfinches lived in the forests where they raised their chicks. In the fall, they gathered in small flocks and went in search of rowan and other berries, closer to human habitations. So all winter they wander through parks, squares, gardens and vegetable gardens, looking for food.

Remez

In the thickets of bushes, along the banks of rivers, lakes, ponds and other bodies of water, a small, inconspicuous titmouse scurries about. Looking for food, it nimbly climbs branches, hanging upside down or with its back. And very often makes a thin whistle tsii-tsii, which can be heard far away. From plant fluff, animal hair and bird feathers, the remez weaves an unusual mitten nest, studded on the outside with birch bark, bud scales and flower catkins of willow and poplar. The nest is usually attached to the end of a willow, birch or reed branch drooping above the water. Remez, the only one of our tits, flies to warm regions for the winter, far from the places where she raised her chicks.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

On a frosty winter day, fluffed up, raising the red feathers on its head like a brush, a small spotted woodpecker crawls through the trees, a pockmarked ball, animatedly tapping with its beak the cracks and crevices in the bark: are insects that it finds tasty hidden there? Usually he silently jumps along the trunks, but in the spring he often announces himself loudly cue-cue-cue. This bird prefers to stay in mixed and deciduous forests, floodplains, and is found in gardens and parks. The nest is made in a hollow, which is hollowed out in dry and rotten trees. In the summer, noisy chicks appear in the nest, demanding to be fed quickly.

Starling

In our country, the starling is the harbinger of spring. As soon as the first thawed patches appear, birds fly to their native places and immediately announce their arrival with a song: chirping, gurgling, clicking, whistling, sounds overheard from other birds and animals. The starling is a forest bird, but it willingly settles next to humans, in villages and even big cities, in birdhouses hung on the balconies of high-rise buildings. Everyone recognizes the starling: the plumage is black, the beak is long and yellow. In search of food, birds quickly walk along the ground and pierce the soil with their beaks everywhere, fly straight and fast. After leaving the nest, young starlings gather in large flocks and feed in fields, meadows and river floodplains.

Nightjar

Spring and summer evening in the sparse old forest a long, monotonous dry trill echoes: tr-werr-werr-werr-werr. This rattling sound, heard far away in the twilight, is the song of a nightjar, which sat on the branch of a dry tree. Having finished the song, he takes off, flaps his wings widely and jumps accurately, shuddering in the air. Seeing a silent nightjar is not easy. Clinging to the trunk, completely motionless, it sits, merging with the bark thanks to its speckled color. The bird owes its strange name to an old German belief that attributed to it the ability to milk goats. After all, nightjars always circle around grazing livestock, sitting at the feet of cows, goats or sheep. Only they are attracted not by milk, but by insects that gather near animals and their droppings.

Great tit

In the January cold, as soon as the sun appears, the great tit begins to sing, constantly catching your eye in parks, gardens and along the outskirts of forests, very mobile and noticeable: the abdomen is bright yellow, divided black stripe, white cheeks. Flying from branch to branch, it makes a ringing sound ping-ping-charzhzhzh, zirrererererere, qi-qi-qi. Her loud song consists of repeated syllables: pintyu-pintyu, tsintitya-tsintitya, ding-tu-ding-tu. The great tit makes its nest in hollows and crevices on the trunk, various artificial nests, and under the roofs of houses. In parks, great tits are often driven out of their nesting areas by sparrows. In winter, tits flock to feeders, which help the birds survive the winter lack of food.

Owl

A short-eared owl soars silently over damp forest clearings, swamps and fields. She hunts more during the day than at night. Its flight is light and smooth, with rare, deep flapping of its wings. She circles above the ground for hours, looking for mice. It sees prey, stops in the air, frequently flapping its wings, and falls steeply down, grabbing the prey. The short-eared owl is a migratory bird. She spends the winter in the south of our country. In the spring, arriving at nesting sites, short-eared owls organize air games - they fly after each other, often making a dull, repetitive sound. boo Boo Boo. Unlike other owls, which do without nests, the short-eared owl makes its nest on the ground, in the middle of dense bushes or thickets of grass.

Golden eagle

The golden eagle is the largest bird of prey in our country. Its wingspan exceeds two meters. The golden eagle is called the golden eagle for the golden feathers on the back of the adult bird's head. This is a real bird king. His vision is very acute. The golden eagle can see a hare at a distance of up to four kilometers. He is the swiftest of the eagles. Pursuing prey, it covers more than a hundred kilometers per hour. The golden eagle makes its nest high in a tree or on a rock. Usually it serves a pair of birds for many years, which corrects and builds on it, so that over time it reaches two to three meters in diameter. Often sparrows build nests between its branches, which golden eagles do not notice. The golden eagle is silent. Only sometimes can you hear it quietly kyev-kyev-kyev, reminiscent of the barking of a small dog.

Pied Flycatcher

On bright forest edges and in parks, an active bird with a contrasting black and white coloring sings. This is a male pied flycatcher. The female is gray and inconspicuous. The singing male is usually visible: he prefers to sit on a separate branch or on the roof of an artificial nest. When singing, it often lowers its wings and spreads its tail, quickly shaking its wings. As if he were trying to take off, he spreads his wings and immediately folds them again. He lets out a loud short trill: qi-kru, qi-kru-qi, qi-kru-tsi or three-twist-twist-three. And at the nest in front of the female she often chirps quietly qu-qu-tsifiruflit or pil-pil-filili-lililily.

Cuckoo

Who hasn’t heard the sonorous sound repeated over and over again in the forest? peek-a-boo? This makes itself known to the male cuckoo. Cuckooing sounds day and night, especially in the morning and evening dawn. Usually the male crows while sitting on a branch in the upper part of the crown. While singing, it lowers its wings, raises and spreads its tail. The cuckoo does not build nests. The female throws her egg into the nest of some small bird (robins, warblers, warblers). The cuckoo chick is usually the first to hatch and strives to throw away everything it finds nearby, getting rid of other chicks. His appetite is excellent: from dawn to dusk, small birds carry food to a foundling that is huge in comparison with them. When feeding a grown cuckoo, they have to stick their head deep into its open mouth.

Crow

The raven is a large bird with a large and strong beak, which helps protect itself from enemies and obtain food. It is easier to hear a raven than to see it - to catch the whistling of the wings of mighty birds, their roll call in flight - a dull cro-cro or sharp crook-crook. Sharp-sighted crows fly over forests and fields, looking out for prey. They feed mainly on carrion. If a wounded animal leaves the hunters and dies in the forest, the crows immediately flock to the feast. Relatives rush to the cry of those who have found prey, and a whole flock gathers. And suddenly everyone took off into the air at once, circled and settled in the trees. It was someone stronger who came ready - wolves, or even the owner of the forests himself, the bear. Now sit and wait for the animals to be satisfied.

Spruce crossbill

In February, when the forests are covered in snow and the frost is crackling, he begins to build a nest. beautiful bird with red plumage – spruce crossbill. It builds its nest - quite large and well insulated - on tall and dense coniferous trees, most often on spruce trees. The beak of the crossbill is thick, with intersecting ends - this makes it easier to get seeds from fir cones, which serve as the main food for crossbills. The crossbill moves slowly along the branches, sometimes with the help of its beak. Usually sings on the tops of trees. The singing crossbill often performs “dances” and can fly around a tree singing. His voice is clear. During the flight, a long sound sounds almost continuously. tiktiktiktiktiktik or voiced clack clack clack.

Goldfinch

The most beautiful bird of bright forests and gardens is the goldfinch. As if bright butterfly he flutters among the branches. Not only is he handsome, he is also very mobile, even fidgety, a master of hanging in various possible and impossible positions on the thinnest branches or even on burdock cones, often quarreling with his fellows in his own goldfinch language: rerererere. Sitting on the top of a tree, the goldfinch carries himself like a dandy, smart, proud of his beauty, and sings a loud and beautiful song: puy-puy, sti-glick, pickel-nick.

Magpie

Magpies don't like thickets. In spring it stays at the edge of the forest, in the bushes. In autumn it moves to villages, closer to people. Its long stepped bluish-green tail is especially noticeable. The plumage of the lower leg and undertail are black, and the lower part of the chest, abdomen and stripes on the shoulders are white, for which it is nicknamed white-sided. But what attracts the magpie’s attention more than its colorful outfit is its bustle and chattering. The magpie builds its large spherical nest in the depths of a bush or tree. Usually noisy, stays quiet near the nest. This omnivorous bird attacks small songbirds and pecks eggs and chicks in their nests. If a thief magpie gets into the habit of flying into the yard, it will not only steal eggs from the chicken coop, but maybe also kill the chickens.

Chiffchaff

In early spring, when the buds on the trees are just beginning to swell, a melodic whistle is heard at the top of the crown: shadow-tian-ting-tun-shadow as if drops are splashing into water. This is sung by one of our smallest birds - the chiffchaff, or, as it is popularly called, the grasshopper. She is small, but her voice is loud and can be heard from afar. All day long she swarms in the tops of tall trees, pecking at small insects. And with the onset of summer, it arranges a nest-hut with a side entrance on the ground, under a bush or in a hummock.

song thrush

The loudest and most intricate song in the spring forest is the song thrush. Despite the fact that the outfit is modest: the entire plumage is brownish-olive, only on the belly it is whitish with an ocher tint. The blackbird is noticeable with its singing. Throughout the spring and half of the summer it sings for days, especially in the morning and evening, falling silent only in complete darkness. His song is melodic, with slowly and clearly written whistled phrases with obligatory double repetition: Philip-Philip, come, come, tea-tea, Vitya-Vitya.

Grouse

Beautiful grouse. Few people compare with it in our forests: the plumage is black with a blue tint, the eyebrows are bright red, the tail is like a lyre - the outer feathers are strongly curved to the sides (that’s why it is called a braid), the undertail is bright white, and there are white mirrors on the wings. And yet in the spring they search for black grouse by their voice. As soon as the weather gets warmer and the days lengthen, the males gather in a clearing or moss swamp, where the snow melts earlier. Here they sing and tok. They make something like gurgling or muttering, walk, even run after each other, with their tail spread out, their neck inflated and lowered, and their wings spread to the ground. The muttering is interrupted by a loud croak and hissing chuffyshh. At the current, black grouse often jump and flap their wings, and sometimes fight like domestic roosters.

Robin

In spring in dense mixed and coniferous forests with migratory birds A robin appears - a small, very trusting bird with a crimson breast and large, slightly sad, beady eyes. You will recognize it not only by its colored breast, but also by its characteristic crackling sound. tick-tick-tick and a thin whistle sip or tsii. Its melodic, chirping and murmuring trills begin with drawn-out sounds and sometimes last for quite a long time, but are more often interrupted by short pauses. In spring, the robin sings all day until dark. She often visits summer cottages. In the spring he loves to jump around the beds and collect small insects and worms, and in the fall he enjoys eating garden berries.

Shrike

Have you ever, on the outskirts of a garden or forest edge, where there are a lot of bushes, come across a dry bush, the sharp branches of which are strewn with beetles, grasshoppers and even frogs and lizards? It was a small feathered robber, the shrike, collecting food in reserve. His head is large, his beak is hooked, his tail is long, his flight is wavy, and he is also constantly dissatisfied with something and shouts sharply: check-check. The shrike likes to sit on top of a bush from where it watches the surrounding area. His vision is sharp and his hearing is subtle. As soon as someone moves in the grass, the shrike breaks off the branch, and a few moments later the prey is in its beak.

Barn Swallow

Anyone who has been to the village knows the barn swallow - the killer whale. Its tail is fork-shaped, the outer feathers are much longer than the middle ones. This is especially noticeable when it flies high or flies low above the ground, spreading its tail like a fan. The song of a killer whale is a cheerful twitter, ending with the crackling trill of cerrr. The killer whale makes a nest - a bowl fashioned from lumps of clay glued together with swallow saliva - under the roof of some building. The inside is lined with feathers and hair. The barn swallow feeds on flying insects, and therefore in cold damp weather, when there are few of them in the air, the swallow flies low, collecting insects from the grass and even from the ground. On warm days, killer whales hunt quite high, where rising air currents carry their prey.

Thank you, friends, for your attention to our publication. We would be very grateful for your feedback. In our next issues: “Traces of animals and birds”, “Curious Petersburg, part 8: Nevsky district” and others. We remind you that our partners in their organizations distribute our wall newspapers for free.

The forest kingdom is the real decoration of our planet. It has a wide variety of rivers, lakes, tree species, numerous animals, birds and insects. The forest is a separate state with its own laws and inhabitants. There are several types of forests, depending on the plantings: mixed, coniferous, deciduous and taiga. In them, life goes on as usual.

Each of us, for various reasons, has been in the forest at least once in our lives. Some people simply went to take a break from the bustle of the city, take a walk, pick spring flowers, some went hunting, and some went to pick mushrooms and berries. All this time we are accompanied by the singing of birds, although we cannot always see them; somewhere in the distance an animal will run.

Most often found in forests are: hares, foxes, martens, wild boars, wolves, bears, squirrels, chipmunks, wood mice, hedgehogs, beavers, moles, etc. A huge variety of birds: woodpecker, oriole, thrush, tit, sparrow, cuckoo, magpie, jay and many others.

The life of animals, no matter what forest they live in, depends on their nutrition. The diet is very varied, considering all seasons. Some inhabitants need to stockpile food for the winter.

Wood mice collect nuts and acorns and hide them in empty hollows, holes, and even under tree roots. Squirrels hide nuts behind the bark of trees, acorns in the forest floor of leaves, and stack mushrooms between tree branches. Among the valuable fur-bearing animals is the marten. She makes her nests on high altitude in hollows. It feeds on voles, partridges, black grouse and hazel grouse. It poses a great danger to squirrels.

Bears, on the other hand, hibernate during the winter; they do not need food or water. Sufficient reserves of fat accumulated during the warm period of the year.

From spring to autumn, hares feed on lush grass, shoots, and tree bark in winter.

Predators are a special type of animal. They are dangerous if they feel threatened by humans, but it is better to stay away. Boars are omnivores; they can eat roots, plant bulbs, berries, acorns, worms, insects, carrion and even rodents. Foxes and wolves get their food by hunting weaker animals. They feed on meat, rodents, carrion and poultry.

Beavers live in quiet forest rivers and feed on bark, young shoots, and branches. They build their homes and make dams from trees and branches.

Insectivores bring great benefits to the forest. Jerzy is no exception. They eat high-calorie foods - mice, insects, various larvae, worms. Among plant foods, preference is given to mushrooms, fruits, berries and grains. Hedgehogs, like bears, also hibernate during the winter.

Moles also feed on insects and earthworms. They improve air and water regime soil thanks to its underground passages. What kind of animal is this, what kind of life it leads, what benefits or harm it brings, what a mole eats in the forest and how to fight it can be found out in more detail.

Birds live most of all in mixed and deciduous forests. They feed frequently throughout the day; the main diet consists of insects, grain and berries.

Humans are a great helper for the inhabitants of the forest. Foresters make feeders for both birds and animals, trying to refine and improve their habitat. They do their best to facilitate their survival in difficult conditions, because everything in our lives is natural. Now we know what they eat and how animals survive in the forests. Each of the representatives of forest flora and fauna forms an integral part of our life

Forests are rightly called the lungs of our planet. The shrubs and trees growing in them not only saturate the air with oxygen, but also serve as a home for a huge number of animals, birds and insects.

photo: Chris Upson

The territory extending to the south is occupied by vast taiga forests, covering the northern regions of the Earth. The length of this peculiar belt reaches 12,000 km. It affects Alaska, Canada, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Siberia. The so-called boreal forests consist mainly of evergreen trees (pines, spruces). Larches also grow there, shedding their needles before the onset of winter. The ground is covered with lichens, mosses and grasses. The undergrowth is quite sparse.

Coniferous forests, replete with clearings and clearings, are favorite places for hazel grouse and wood grouse. These bird species spend the predominant part of their lives on the ground. This is where they nest and raise their chicks. Bullfinches, tits and nutcrackers found shelter under the crowns of spruce trees. In the northern forests there are several species of woodpeckers (three-toed, black (yellow), small spotted, large spotted). There is a high probability of meeting with brown-headed chickadee, jock owl and hawk owl.

photo: Roger Wasley

The cold climate of the taiga affected the appearance of the crossbill. The conifer seed-eating bird has a unique beak, the crossed, hooked ends of which are ideally suited for extracting seeds from cones. You can see the crossbill outside the coniferous forest only when there is a shortage of food.

It is a member of the weasel family. Reminiscent little bear The animal differs from the formidable owner of the taiga by the presence of a fluffy long tail. The owner of strong teeth and long claws goes out hunting both during the day and at night, preferring the most impenetrable thickets. There are often cases when a brave animal attacked bears and wolves and took their prey.

photo:Richard

Throughout the summer and early autumn squirrels are busy collecting mushrooms, seeds and nuts. The accumulated reserves are stored in tree hollows or buried in the ground. Reptiles include viviparous lizards, common snakes and common vipers.

The chipmunk has a slightly larger body than the squirrel. There are 5 black stripes along the back. The owner of well-developed cheek pouches liked the edges of coniferous forests, burnt areas, clearings and bush thickets, replete with dead wood. The agile animal seems designed for climbing trees. Jumps performed both downwards and upside down deserve special praise.

photo: Gregory Thiell

The species diversity of the taiga is much wider than that of the tundra. In addition to wolverines and chipmunks, there are also sables and foxes. The list of typical representatives included hares, hedgehogs and small rodents (including red-backed and red-gray voles). The group of ungulates is represented by roe deer and elk, reindeer and red deer. Beavers build their lodges in ponds. Interestingly, the species found in Eurasia are also characteristic of the North American taiga. Endemics include the skunk and the musk rat (muskrat). Wood bison graze in the reserves. Of the giants living in Eurasia, the greatest power is demonstrated by the bison, which several decades ago was on the verge of complete extinction.

Porcupine photo: Anne Elliott

The Great Eagle Owl is called a night hunter. The owner of excellent hearing and vision chose the forests of North America. The main part of the diet of the feathered predator consists of mice and small mammals. The exotic forest inhabitants include the porcupine, which lives in the forests of the USA and Canada. The list of food preferences of this animal included deciduous plants and bast (the tender pulp of tree trunks). Stiff long quills protect the porcupine from enemies.

IN mixed forests Badgers, hedgehogs, foxes, hares, squirrels, moose, and roe deer feel excellent. Some lovers of deciduous forests often settle here, incl. and wild boars. Omnivores that hide from prying eyes prefer to feed at night.

Brown bear photo: Nikolay Zinoviev

The brown bear is assigned the title of the largest forest predator, living in the forest zones of North America, Asia and Europe, including the Caucasus and Siberia. Despite this, clubfooted animals do not refuse other treats (nuts, berries, fish, etc.). Found in coniferous-deciduous forests and smaller predators (wolves, martens, ferrets). In burnt areas and old clearings, as well as on the edges of mixed forests, you can see a fox. The color of the medium-sized predator ranges from yellow-gray to reddish-orange. The tip of the tail and chest are painted white.

The white hare is a master of camouflage. In summer, its coat has a brown or reddish-brown tint. During the winter months, the animal dresses in a snow-white coat. A lover of vegetation can be found in the forest areas of Asia, North America and Eastern Europe.

Hare photo: antonio

To life in mixed forests Badgers are also perfectly adapted. Medium-sized predators prefer to settle in copses and forest ravines. They also like forest edges. Burrows are used as housing. The raccoon dog moves on short legs. On her face there is a pattern resembling a black mask. The owner of fluffy and long hair settles in mixed forests. Her behavior clearly shows her love for gentle slopes, copses and swampy river valleys. Active at night, the animal not only runs fast, but also swims well. Its diet includes small rodents, insects, fish, berries and plants.

IN mixed forests significant populations of moles can be found. Sightless animals live underground. The food they eat are earthworms, insects and larvae.

Chaffinch photo: nataba.35photo.ru/

The bird fraternity is represented by nightingales, orioles, and song thrushes, which fill the forest thicket with incessant singing not only in spring, but also in early summer. In early spring, starlings also demonstrate their singing talents. Bright plumage - distinguishing feature finches. Birds that are ubiquitous in all types of forests include owls, magpies, cuckoos and woodpeckers. Wood grouse are not found in mixed forests. The vacated niche was occupied by black grouse. Nuthatches scurry up and down the trees, clinging to the trunks with their claws.

These birds most often build nests in hollows hollowed out by woodpeckers. The Rowan Thrush got its nickname from its love of rowan berries. Representatives of this species do not refuse the fruits of buckthorn, viburnum and hawthorn. In spring and summer, blackbirds feast on worms, shellfish and insects. Siskins can be seen in places where alder and birch grow. They do not fly to warm regions in the fall. They feed on seeds obtained from alder cones and birch catkins.

Buzzard photo: Sergey Ryzhkov

An attack by a goshawk is always unexpected. The predator does it on the sly. Not only black grouse, but also hazel grouse, birds sleeping on branches, squirrels dining on trees and even hares fall into his sharp claws. Rodent pests are successfully exterminated by such feathered predators as the kestrel, harrier, owl and buzzard.

For deciduous forests many animals found in mixed areas are typical: brown bears, forest cats, minks, squirrels, weasels, black polecats, pine martens, several varieties of dormouse. Among the feathered representatives, the most numerous are spotted and green woodpeckers, finches, wood larks, orioles, tits, nightingales, song and blackbirds, flycatchers, warblers, warblers, and cuckoos.

Cottonmouth photo: Ilya Gomyranov

From the southern regions to broadleaf forests Some steppe inhabitants also penetrate (gray partridges, hamsters, brown hares). Reptiles are represented by viviparous and green lizards, common viper, copperhead, copperheads and spindle. Of the amphibians that have taken root, the tree frog, sharp-faced and grass frogs, newts.

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From September 15 to 17, Russia celebrates one of the largest environmental holidays - Russian Forest Days. As you know, forests are not only the lungs of the planet and a storehouse of various berries, mushrooms and medicinal herbs, but also home to many amazing animals. In this regard, we are telling you about some rare animals that live in Russian forests.

1. Musk deer.

This small deer-like animal with fangs lives in the mountain coniferous forests of the Sayans, Altai, Transbaikalia and Primorye. Despite its terrifying appearance, the musk deer feeds exclusively on vegetation. However, the musk deer is notable not only for this, but also for its attractive smell, which lures females for mating. This smell appears due to the musk gland located in the male’s belly next to the genitourinary canal.

As you know, musk is a valuable component of various medicines and perfumes. And it is precisely because of this that musk deer often become the prey of hunters and poachers. Another reason why this unusual animal is considered an endangered species is that its range is shrinking due to increased economic activity humans (mainly with deforestation).

One of the solutions to the problem of preserving the species in wildlife is farm breeding of musk deer and selection of musk from living males.

2. Japanese green pigeon.

This unusual bird, about 33 cm long and weighing approximately 300 grams, has a bright yellowish-green color. It is common in South-East Asia, but also found in the Sakhalin region (Crillon Peninsula, Moneron Islands and South Kuril Islands). The bird inhabits deciduous and mixed forests with an abundance of cherry and bird cherry trees, elderberry bushes and other plants, the fruits of which it feeds on.

The Japanese green pigeon is a rare species, and therefore little is known about its life. Today scientists know that green pigeons are monogamous birds. They weave their nests from thin twigs and place them in trees at a height of up to 20 meters. It is believed that partners hatch eggs in turns for 20 days. And after this, helpless, down-covered chicks are born, which will learn to fly only after five weeks. However, pairs or flocks of green pigeons are rarely seen in Russia; most often they are noticed alone.

3. Far Eastern, or Amur leopards.

Even at the beginning of the 20th century, there were much more rare cats, and their range covered a considerable territory - the eastern and northeastern parts of China, the Korean Peninsula, the Amur, Primorsky and Ussuri territories. However, between 1970 and 1983, the Far Eastern leopard lost 80% of its territory! The main reasons then were forest fires and the conversion of forest areas for agriculture.

Today, the Amur leopard continues to lose its territory and also suffers from a lack of food. After all, roe deer, sika deer and other ungulates, which this leopard hunts, are killed in huge numbers by poachers. And since the Far Eastern leopard has beautiful fur, it itself is a very desirable trophy for poachers.

Also due to the lack of suitable food in the wild Far Eastern leopards are forced to go looking for her in reindeer herding farms. There, predators are often killed by the owners of these farms. And on top of that, due to the small size of the population of Amur leopards, it will be very difficult for representatives of the subspecies to survive during various disasters like a fire.

However, all this does not mean that the subspecies will soon disappear. Today there are still large areas of forest that provide suitable habitat for the Far Eastern leopard. And if these areas can be preserved and protected from fires and poaching, then the population of these amazing animals in the wild will increase.

Interestingly, Far Eastern leopards are the only leopards that have been able to learn to live and hunt in harsh winter conditions. By the way, their long hair helps them in this, as well as their strong and long legs, which allow you to catch up with prey while moving through the snow. However, Amur leopards not only good hunters, but also exemplary family men. Indeed, sometimes males stay with females after mating and even help them with raising kittens, which, in principle, is not typical for leopards.

4. Alkina.

These butterflies live in the southwest of Primorsky Krai and are found along streams and rivers in mountain forests, where the food plant of the caterpillars of the species, the Manchurian liana, grows. Most often, male butterflies fly to the flowers of this plant, and females sit in the grass most of the time. Alkinoe females tend to linger on this plant to lay eggs on its leaves.

Today, due to disturbance of the habitat of kirkazona and its collection as a medicinal plant, its quantity in nature is decreasing, which, of course, affects the number of alkinoe. On top of everything else, butterflies suffer because they are collected by collectors.

5. Bison.

Previously, these animals were widespread in the territory of the former USSR, but by the beginning of the 20th century they survived only in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Caucasus. However, even there their numbers were steadily declining. For example, by 1924, only 5-10 bison remained in the Caucasus. The main reasons for the decline of bison were their extermination by hunters and poachers, as well as destruction during military operations.

The restoration of their numbers began in 1940 in the Caucasus Nature Reserve, and now bison inhabit two regions in Russia - the North Caucasus and the center of the European part. In the North Caucasus, bison live in Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Chechnya, Ingushetia and the Stavropol Territory. And in the European part there are isolated herds of bison in the Tver, Vladimir, Rostov and Vologda regions.

Bison have always been inhabitants of deciduous and mixed forests, but avoided extensive forest areas. In the Western Caucasus, these animals live mainly at an altitude of 0.9 - 2.1 thousand meters above sea level, often going out into clearings or treeless slopes, but never moving away from forest edges.

In appearance, the bison is very similar to its American relative, the bison. Nevertheless, it is still possible to distinguish them. First of all, the bison has a higher hump and longer horns and tail than the bison. And in the hot months, the back of the bison is covered with very short hair (it even seems that it is bald), while the bison has hair of the same length all over its body at any time of the year.

The bison is listed in the Red Book of Russia as an endangered species and today lives in many nature reserves and zoos.

6. Fish owl.

This species settles along river banks in Far East from Magadan to the Amur region and Primorye, as well as on Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril Islands. The fish owl prefers to live in the hollows of old trees with an abundance of aquatic prey nearby, however, old forests and hollow trees are often cut down, which inevitably displaces these birds from their habitats. In addition, fish eagle owls are caught by poachers, and they often fall into traps while trying to pull the bait out of them. The development of water tourism on the Far Eastern rivers and, consequently, increased disturbance of these birds gradually leads to a decrease in the number of eagle owls and interferes with their reproduction. All this has led to the fact that today this species is endangered.

The fish owl is one of the largest owls in the world, as well as the most major representative kind. Interestingly, these birds can hunt with two different ways. Most often, the fish eagle looks for fish while sitting on a stone in the river, from the shore or from a tree hanging over the river. Having noticed the prey, the eagle owl dives into the water and instantly grabs it with its sharp claws. And when this predator tries to catch sedentary fish, crayfish or frogs, it simply enters the water and probes the bottom with its paw in search of prey.

7. Giant noctule.

This bat, the largest in Russia and Europe, lives in deciduous forests in the territory from the western borders of our country to Orenburg region, as well as from the northern borders to the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions. There they settle in tree hollows, 1-3 individuals each, in colonies of others bats(usually red and lesser noctules).

The giant noctule is rare view, however, ecologists do not know exactly what is causing their low numbers. According to scientists, the threat is posed by deforestation of broad-leaved forests. However, today there are no special measures to protect these animals, since it is not clear what measures will be effective.

Interestingly, these bats hunt large beetles and moths, flying over forest edges and ponds. However, analysis of blood and droppings showed that these animals also feed on small birds during migrations, however, this has never been recorded.

8. Heavenly barbel.

In Russia, in the south of the Primorsky Territory (in the Terneysky, Ussuriysky, Shkotovsky, Partizansky and Khasansky districts) a beetle with a bright blue color lives. It lives in broadleaf forests mainly in the wood of the greenbark maple. There the female beetle lays eggs, and after about half a month the larvae appear. They develop in the wood for about 4 years, and then, in June, the larva gnaws out the “cradle” and pupates. After about 20 days, the beetle emerges from the wood and immediately begins to reproduce. He will spend all his strength on this for the rest of his life, which lasts only two weeks.

The barbel is listed in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species whose numbers are declining. According to environmentalists, the reason for this is deforestation and a sharp decrease in the number of greenbark maples.

9. Himalayan, or white-breasted bear.

The Ussuri white-breasted bear inhabits the deciduous forests of the Primorsky Territory, the southern regions of the Khabarovsk Territory and the southeastern part of the Amur Region. Until 1998, it was listed in the Red Book of Russia as a rare species, and today it is a hunting species. However, if in the 90s its population was 4-7 thousand individuals, now this bear is on the verge of extinction (its population is up to 1 thousand individuals). The reason for this was, first of all, deforestation and mass hunting. The latter, by the way, was discussed during the international environmental forum “Nature without Borders” in Vladivostok, after which in 2006 a decision was made in the Primorsky Territory to introduce restrictions on hunting the Himalayan bear during hibernation.

The white-breasted bear leads a semi-arboreal lifestyle: it gets food in trees and hides from enemies (these are mainly Amur tigers and Brown bear). Almost the entire diet of this bear consists of plant foods, in particular nuts, fruits and berries, as well as shoots, bulbs and rhizomes. It also does not refuse to feast on ants, insects, mollusks and frogs.

10. Black stork

A widespread but rare species, the number of which is declining due to human economic activity, manifested in deforestation and drainage of swamps. Today the bird is found in forests from Kaliningrad and Leningrad regions to Southern Primorye. The black stork prefers to settle near bodies of water in deep, old forests.

Exactly there, on the old tall trees(and sometimes on rock ledges) black storks build nests, which they will then use for several years. When the time comes to invite the female to the nest (around the end of March), the male fluffs up his white undertail and begins to emit a hoarse whistle. The eggs laid by the female (from 4 to 7 pieces) will be incubated by the partners in turn until the chicks hatch from them after 30 days.

Geographically, the mixed forest zone occupies the territory between the tundra and the subtropical region. They grow here like coniferous trees- pines, larch, spruce, and deciduous - beeches, chestnuts, birches. The undergrowth, formed by dense bushes, is often difficult to pass through, and there is less snow under the trees, which allows animals to find some food here. Some of the animals living here hibernate, others travel long distances in search of food.

Winter in the forest.

In winter, cold, snow and short days prevent the growth and flowering of grasses and shrubs. Many herbivores, experiencing a lack of food, move to areas with a milder climate. Some animals prepare their burrows, dug in the ground or built in natural depressions (hollows, caves), in order to fall into a long sleep (hibernation), which will last throughout the winter months, interrupted only by short awakenings. Many burrows are filled with food collected during the summer, but sometimes animals also have enough subcutaneous fat accumulated during the warm season, which allows them to survive the long winter. There are also inhabitants of the forest who do not leave their habitable places and do not hibernate: they look for food in dense thickets, where there is less snow.

Many animals fill their holes with acorns and other food supplies.

In spring and summer, hares feed on young shoots, roots and tender grass, and in winter they are content with the bark of bushes and small trees.

In winter, the forest only seems uninhabited, but in fact it is full of life. Mammals, reptiles and amphibians only hid in their burrows, where they spend the cold winter hibernating in anticipation of the spring awakening of nature.

The badger spends the winter in a hole underground. The cubs usually stay with their mother, but can also take refuge in their own burrow.

Canadian forests and groves.

In the north of the American continent is Canada, a large country rich in forests. As you move north, you can see how deciduous trees give way to conifers, which are more resistant to the harsh winter cold.

Mostly carnivores live in these areas: common and silver foxes, wolves, wolverines, as well as bears, which often attack other animals, although they mainly feed on fruits.

The northern part of Canada is very vast and sparsely populated. There is poor communication and a harsh climate: only three months a year the temperature rises to + 10 0 C, and only during this period does nature wake up. The rest of the year, the struggling vegetation provides food for herbivores. Lakes, rivers and seas are covered with ice. In such conditions, only a few animals lead a sedentary lifestyle. The main mass migrates, moving south with the onset of autumn.