Siskin - description, habitat, interesting facts

Siskin - a small songbird, which is also called chizhik. Surely many have heard and a song about "chizhika-fawn". Such a name is fully justified, and you can be convinced of this if you see this bird live. Outwardly, she is very funny, which is why they usually talk about her only in a tender form.

The appearance of a bird

Chizhis are bright representatives of the finch family. This family includes a large number of different songbirds. Chizhi are very small birds, the size of which does not exceed 12 centimeters in length, and their body weight is not more than 15 grams. The wingspan of these babies reaches 22 centimeters.

Chizhi have quite a bright and memorable appearance.They are fairly easy to recognize in natural conditions, even though chizhiki are always very well disguised. Their plumage is bright yellow with green in the head, abdomen and neck. The wings are mostly dark in color, but they also have bright lemon inserts. Males have dark spots on their heads that resemble a cap; females do not have such a distinctive feature. The color of the females is somewhat different, they mostly have brown and brownish plumage, which is very similar to the color of the males at a young age.

How do chizhiki eat?

Nestlings that have just been born are usually fed protein foods, among which caterpillars and insects are most common.

Habitat birds

Chizhik today presented in various varieties.All species of these individuals are numerous and live in many parts of the world. You can meet them in Europe, South and North America, as well as in Asia. In other words, these birds are common almost everywhere. Chizhiki mainly chose areas of mixed forests where large trees dominate. It is in such areas that they feel most secure, because they have the opportunity to hide. For the same reason, for the arrangement of nests, sisins sometimes choose high mountain areas.

Flights or residency?

Chizhik - uniquely migratory birds. Each year, towards the end of September, they begin to form flocks for further flight. These birds migrate mainly to the southern regions. In winter, chizhikov quite often can be found in the Crimea. May remain for the winter in the same habitat, but in extremely rare cases. As a rule, this happens only when the birds manage to find a reservoir in winter, which does not freeze throughout the year. Such a reservoir may be a small stream, a large river or a lake.In this case, chizhiki can remain in winter in the reservoir and not fly away to the south.

Types of siskin and their appearance

Chizhi - numerous species, which includes 19 subspecies. These species are distinguished by their distribution area, as well as by some peculiarities of the behavior of birds and the color of their plumage.

The most common and common species include:

1. Golden Siskin This species lives mainly in North America. Weed received the second name - American goldfinch. In winter, these individuals change their habitat to warmer Mexico, and their color changes there. Males, which usually have a lemon-yellow color, during this period become greenish.
2. Mexican siskin This subspecies also lives in North and South America, but predominantly high in the mountains. You can meet them at a height of at least 900 meters. It should be noted that it is almost impossible to independently detect these birds, as they are extremely careful and careful.
3. Pine siskin This species is common in North America, also in its mountainous areas. From other subspecies of chizhikov they are distinguished by a less bright and pronounced color.Traditionally, these birds have brownish and yellow plumage.
4. Fire Chichik. This subspecies is rightfully the most prominent representative of the entire family of chizhikov. The color of these birds is quite interesting, the areas of the host, the wings and the head are painted in coal black, but the feathers in the rest of the body are bright red in color, which really resembles a fire. Representatives of this subspecies are somewhat larger in comparison with the ordinary chizhik. You can meet such beautiful birds in the northern part of Venezuela. It is worth noting that in this state a fire siskin is a protected species.

How to distinguish male from female?

It cannot be said that the sex differences in chizhikov are strongly pronounced. As is often the case in birds, male sneakers have a brighter color. Their feathers are covered in emerald-lemon color. In females, the plumage is more modest, so they do not attract much attention to themselves. It is worth noting that such differences are not accidental, the invisible color of the female is needed in order to make it invisible in the nest when the eggs hatch.

Home maintenance

Chizhik are quite popular birds among breeders and songbird lovers. Of course, this is not by chance. The fact is that they will not let anyone get bored because they sing their songs almost all year round. You can hear their singing during 10 months of the year, which is rare for songbirds.

The second reason why chizhikov often wind up at home is that they become extremely accustomed to home-keeping conditions, after which they become completely tame. After that, they can even be let fly around the house, and indeed at any time leave the cage open. Chizhi after a short walk always return to the cage and at the same time do not soil the furniture of the house and other interior items. In addition, they are well trained. They, like the parrots, you can learn a lot. One of the simplest tricks is drinking water from a host’s mouth.

If you manage to equip and create for the feathered pets all the necessary conditions for their comfortable living, you can even watch how the sissies will breed. Life expectancy at home is significantly increased. If in natural conditions they usually live no more than 3 years, then at home under the care of a person they can live up to 12 years.

What is needed for content?

Chizhi - not too demanding birds. They do not need a huge space, it will be enough to buy a small cage, as for a parrot. The only thing that is very important is to choose a place for the cell so that it is protected from the bright sun and drafts.

It is not recommended to contain sisnee one by one. It is best to pick them up a couple or even settle a flock. Chizhik well perceive neighbors, so you can settle other birds with them, they will be happy to interact with them, and in addition will learn from them their manner of singing.

If you want to breed chizhey, you will need to arrange for them nesting space. To do this, in a secluded corner, you will need to put sheets of plywood, add pine branches and spruce trees for decoration, and also prepare material from which the males will build a nest. For this purpose, perfect grass, various twigs and sticks.

Under natural conditions, sneaks usually lay eggs twice a year. One clutch includes a maximum of 6 eggs. Hatching is carried out mainly by the female, for this it takes only 12 days.Then within 14 days the chicks grow up, and then begin to move independently. At home, the breeding process in principle is no different.

What to feed sisy?

To feed sisy is quite simple. In principle, they are not particularly picky in nutrition. Like most birds that eat cereal, they will need to provide plenty of clean drinking water. Their diet can be absolutely any mixture of seeds and seeds of trees. Moreover, it is possible to supplement the menu of Chizhik with fruits and vegetables. With joy, they eat apple, cabbage and carrots.

Interesting information about siskin

Chizhis are birds that skillfully know how to hide and disguise. Under natural conditions, they so carefully mask their nests that it becomes impossible to find them. That is why it is often said that chizhiki in their nests hide special magic stones that make them invisible.

Chizhis do not just quickly become tame birds, they also have the ability to memorize the person who cares for them. For this reason, they are always happy to host when he comes and even greet him with his singing.

Singing

It is not difficult to distinguish siskin songs from the voices of other birds. In their song there is a peculiar sound “chilik”, which at first seems to be getting quieter, and then suddenly goes on very loudly. There is also a crackle, a chirping and a squeak in their song. By this set of sounds, you can understand that somewhere near you there is a siskin.

Video: siskin (Carduelis spinus)