Big ulit • Red Book of the Ryazan region. Great snail, or river sandpiper, or light sandpiper - Tringa nebularia: description and images of the bird, its nest, eggs and voice recordings Great snail

A representative of the snipe family, a rare species that requires protection and protection. In this article in detailed format we'll talk about the big snail.

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. From the head evenly and beautiful pattern small specks are distributed. 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

In Europe, he prefers to settle in the northern regions, in countries such as Russia and Scotland. It winters in the warmest places, for example, in Africa, Spain, Italy, where several dozen representatives were regularly spotted. Individuals of this species are also found in the Caucasus, both in the mountains and in swamps. They especially like to spend cold times in the south. For them there is the most favorable and suitable climate. There are also all the opportunities for a peaceful existence, including the necessary food supplies.

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 some 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 and 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)

Class: Birds Order: Charadriiformes Family: Snipe Genus: Snails Species: Large snail

Big snail - Tringa nebularia

Appearance.

Almost the size of a pigeon. The beak is slightly curved upward, the legs are dark, long, and in flight protrude far beyond the end of the tail. The top is brown-gray, the chest is streaked, the underparts and rump are white, and the underwings are striped. In winter the upperparts are brownish-gray.

Lifestyle.

Inhabitant of the forest zone, in some places it enters the forest-tundra; on migration it is found along the muddy coasts of seas, rivers and lakes. Migrant. Common. Nests in forest lakes, rivers and moss swamps. The nest is a hole lined with blades of grass or moss, usually located near a hummock or stump. The clutch from mid-May to the end of June consists of 4 fawn eggs with sharp blackish-brown spots. The laying of the eggs is preceded by lekking flights, during which the male emits a very loud and beautiful whistling cry “tli-tui, tli-tui.” When a person approaches the nest, it flies around screaming and sits on the branches of trees, balancing on its wings. During non-breeding times, he is careful. It forages for food in the water, wading into it almost up to its belly. It feeds on insects and their larvae, often eating small fish and fry. It differs from the herbal snail and the goldfinch by its dark legs, from the Siberian ash snail by its dark upperparts (in addition, from all these waders, the great snail differs in its curved beak), and from the Okhotsk snail by its striped underside of the wing.

Reference books by geographer and traveler V.E. Flint, R.L. Boehme, Yu.V. Kostin, A.A. Kuznetsov. Birds of the USSR. Publishing house "Mysl" Moscow, edited by prof. G.P. Dementieva.

(Tringa nebularia) is the largest of the Palaearctic snails.

This is in general gray bird with large longitudinal dark streaks on the 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 great ulit breeds from northern Scandinavia and 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.

Kulik-Selyanets (formerly - Ulіt Vyalyki)

Brest region - single registrations in the east

Vitebsk region - nesting

Gomel region - single registrations in the west

Minsk region - extreme north and extreme northeast

Mogilev region - west and center

Snipe family - Scolopacidae.

Monotypic species, does not form subspecies.

Rare breeding migratory species. Nesting has been proven by only a few finds in the Vitebsk region: 06/21/1975 a downy chick was caught in the Berezinsky Nature Reserve; 05/06/1987 a nest with a clutch of 4 fresh eggs was found in the Liozny district; On May 21, 1995, a nest with 4 fresh eggs was found in the Shumilinsky district; On May 18, 2002, another nest with 3 fresh eggs was found in the same place. One of the last finds of 4 pairs + chick occurred on May 26, 2013 in the Krasny Bor nature reserve, Rossonsky district. Also, individual pairs of large snail with obvious signs of nesting behavior were recorded in spring and summer in raised bogs in other areas of the Vitebsk region. (Miory, Sharkovshchinsky, Vitebsk).

In addition, large snails with signs of nesting behavior were recorded in some swamp areas of the Mogilev, Gomel and Brest regions, but nesting here requires confirmation by finds of nests or flightless chicks. In the southern part of the republic, in the summer it is recorded in the Olmansky swamps, where there is probably an isolated settlement, since the species has been proven to nest in the border regions of Ukraine.

Relatively large sandpiper. The color of the plumage is very similar to the porcupine, the main differences being its noticeably larger size and a slightly upturned beak. The upperparts are light brown with white streaks, especially on the front of the back. Its back and lower back are white. The underparts are also white, but there are black-brown longitudinal streaks on the crop and chest. The outer tail feathers are white, the middle pair is smoky gray with dark transverse stripes. The beak is of medium length, laterally compressed and noticeably bent upward. Its color is dark brown. Legs are brownish-green. Brown rainbow. Male weight 155-180 g, female 148-195 g. Body length (both sexes) 33-37 cm, wingspan 62-70 cm. Male wing length 18-19 cm, tail 7.5-8.5 cm, tarsus 6.5-7 cm, beak 5-6 cm. Female wing length 18-19.5 cm, beak 4.5-6 cm, tarsus 6-6.5 cm.

Like other snails, they willingly perch on trees, especially on dry tops and branches. They do not form large flocks. Even during flights they stay in small groups. Very careful birds.

The large ulit lives mainly in forest swamps or swampy river floodplains adjacent to the forest, along the banks of forest lakes, among vast raised and transitional swamps, sparsely overgrown with swamp pine and shrubs. Sometimes it settles in open areas of floodplain meadows, overgrown with tall grass, shrubs and solitary trees.

A characteristic nesting bird of the raised swamps of the Belarusian Lake District. It is most numerous in the ridge-lake complex of vegetation and near large swamp lakes with rafting shores. It is also found in the ridge-hollow complex with pine, giving preference to rafting areas.

It nests in separate pairs, choosing the most remote uninhabited areas. When nesting, the most secretive of the waders in Poozerie, as a rule, makes a nest in swamp pine forests, even in very closed wild rosemary on low manes and along the edges of islands, in groves along the shores of swamp lakes.

Most often, ulit was observed in flooded open areas. However, the first nest of the great snail, discovered on May 6, 1987, was located in a sphagnum pine forest along the edge of a small raised bog in the Liozno district of the Vitebsk region. The nest was located on a hummock, open, near several pine trees: one dry (3 m high) and two green (1.7 and 2.0 m high).

The nest is made on the ground, usually in a dry place, under the cover of a bush or near the trunk of a fallen tree.

The nest is a hole trampled in a moss hummock, hidden among sedge, heather or wild rosemary, lined with dry blades of grass, pine needles, and moss.

The tray of the first nest found was abundantly lined with dry pine needles with a small admixture of small heather branches.

When examining one incomplete clutch of three eggs on May 18, 2002, there was no lining in the tray; in other nests with full clutches, the trays were lined with dry leaves of blueberry, bog myrtle, and thin flakes of pine bark. Also, pine needles were always present in the tray, since the nests were often located under the cover of swamp pines, often on moss hummocks near the trunk. One more interesting feature large snails is that they almost always make nests next to the dry trunks of fallen swamp pines.

Nest dimensions: tray diameter 9.3–14.0 cm, average 11.9±0.6 cm; tray depth 3.5–7.5 cm, average 5.3±0.5 cm.

Vladimir Bondar. Zatoka "Tehnopribor", env. Mogilev

A full clutch contains 4 eggs, in exceptional cases 5. In Europe, isolated finds of clutches consisting of 7 or 8 eggs (belonging to more than one female) are known. In the examined complete clutches in Poozerie there were 3–4 eggs, on average 3.9±0.1 eggs per clutch. The eggs are pear-shaped. The shell is slightly shiny, sometimes matte. The color of its main background varies from light yellowish-brown or dark creamy to yellowish-gray. Large and small surface spots, sometimes larger strokes or relatively small specks and specks of a dark or black-brown or light red-brown color. They are distributed evenly or concentrated predominantly at the obtuse pole. The deeper spots are light gray, violet-gray and brownish-gray. Egg sizes: 32.7–42.4x46.7–55.0 mm, on average 34.7±0.3x49.9±0.3 mm. Egg weight is 25.70–32.56 g, on average 28.96 ± 0.37 g.

The bird begins nesting in early May, but fresh clutches can be found in the first ten days of this month. In friendly warm springs fresh clutches in Poozerie were observed from May 6 to 8, and in cold, protracted springs an incomplete clutch of three eggs was examined on May 18 and a complete fresh clutch in another nest on May 21. Clutches of varying degrees of incubation were examined from May 9 to May 23. A newly dried chick was found on April 25, 2008, 23 m from the nest (in the nest itself there was a dead downy chick and egg shells). Chicks in downy plumage, but of different sizes, were seen from June 15 to June 21; a chick that began to fledge was observed on June 10, 2000.

There is one brood per year. The male and female incubate the clutch for 24-25 days; later, both birds lead the chicks and protect the brood in case of danger. Large snails incubate the eggs very tightly: they fly up 1.5–5 m from the researcher and sometimes move away, pretending to be a wounded bird.

Immediately after hatching, the large snail transfers the chicks to flooded open areas, where adult birds become very noticeable by the cries of alarm heard from afar.

The autumn migration begins in mid-August and continues throughout September.

The food of the large snail is various invertebrates, primarily insects and their larvae (including aquatic ones), arachnids, and small mollusks.

Adult large snails are found in the prey of the golden eagle, and chicks are found in the prey of the merlin.

The number of large snail in those raised bogs of the Belarusian Poozerie where it nests ranges from 1 pair per 10 km² (in swamps with an area of ​​at least 1000 hectares) to 6 pairs per 10 km² (in smaller swamps). The drainage reclamation of raised bogs and, to a lesser extent, the disturbance factor have a significant impact on the number of large snails in the Belarusian Lake District.

Included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus.

The maximum age recorded in Europe is 24 years 5 months.

Vladimir Bondar. Zatoka "Tehnopribor", env. Mogilev

Literature

1. Grichik V.V., Burko L.D. " Animal world Belarus. Vertebrates: textbook. manual" Minsk, 2013. -399 p.

2. Nikiforov M.E., Yaminsky B.V., Shklyarov L.P. "Birds of Belarus: A guide to nests and eggs" Minsk, 1989. -479 p.

3. Fedyushin A.V., Dolbik M.S. “Birds of Belarus”. Minsk, 1967. -521 p.

4. Ivanovsky V.V., Vorobiev V.N., Mindlin G.A. "Materials on the ecology of waders of the Belarusian Lake District" / Bulletin of the Vitsebsk State University. 2015. No. 1. P.38-43

5. Minutes of the meeting of the Belarusian Ornithological and Faunal Commission (BOFK) dated February 17, 2015.

6. Mongin E. A. “Big snail” / Red Book of the Republic of Belarus. Animals. Rare and endangered species of wild animals. Ed. 2nd. Minsk, 2006. P.126-127

7. Kozlov V.P., Lychkovsky B.D. “On the nesting of the great snail in the Belarusian Poozerie” / Abstracts of the 12th Baltic Ornithological Conference. Vilnius, 1988. P.94-95.

8. Fransson, T., Jansson, L., Kolehmainen, T., Kroon, C. & Wenninger, T. (2017) EURING list of longevity records for European birds.

A lot of game birds live in swamps and fresh water bodies. Snails are one of them. They are distinguished by their small size and long beak, which they use to obtain food from bodies of water. Various types 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. We are talking about carriers, morodunks.

Range, habitats

Snails are migratory birds. They nest in the northern regions and winter in the southern regions. 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 can go to ruin the nest birds of prey, 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 poultry eats only what is given to it, then wild birds choose the best for themselves. 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.