Northern pika (haymaker). Photo and video

Pika - order Passeriformes, family Pischuchaidae

Common pika (Certhia familiaris). Habitats: Asia, America, Europe. Length 15 cm Weight 9 g

The common pika is similar to the nuthatch - it also inspects tree trunks. Leaning against the bark with strong tail feathers, it deftly climbs upward, like a steeplejack-mounter. Its beak is thin and slightly curved. Looks like a surgical needle. The species' range is almost as large as that of the common nuthatch.

About ten million square kilometers of forests and parks. Each pair of birds has its own feeding area. There are many enemies. Great spotted woodpeckers drive pikas out of their shelters, squirrels drink eggs, and martens hunt. As a result, in nature the average lifespan of a common pika is about two years, and in captivity it can live up to eight. Nine subspecies of birds have been described, including three Himalayan ones.

Pikas are inhabitants of the forests of Asia, Africa, North America and Europe. These are very quiet, cautious, modestly colored birds, becoming noticeable only during the mating season. At this time, the simple melodic song of the male is heard, and occasionally you can see birds fighting in the air. Pikas spend the rest of the year on branches and tree trunks, examining them in search of small insects and larvae. Birds eat them in large quantities, thus ridding forests and gardens of pests. In late autumn and winter, pikas, which do not fly to warmer regions, switch to feeding on plant seeds. Pikas often join flocks of tits. In such communities, their safety increases - the attention of predators is more attracted to brightly colored and noisy tits.

The nest is made in the cavities of trunks, in rock crevices; some species make cup-shaped nests on tree branches. The clutch contains from 2 to 9 white eggs covered with reddish-brown streaks. In Russia, the species' range extends from the western borders of the country to its eastern borders.

Short-toed pika

The short-toed pika is very similar to the common pika; they can be distinguished by their singing. The claw of the hind finger of the short-toed pika is shorter than the finger itself. A brownish coating is noticeable on the sides. The rump is brown. The back is mottled; Its color alternates between brown, fawn, beige and yellowish colors. The belly is white. The beak is thin, sharp, slightly curved down. A light stripe runs backward from the eye. Males and females are colored the same. With its short tail, the short-toed pika rests on the trunk of a tree when inspecting its bark. It lives both in Europe, in the Mediterranean regions, and in northern Africa - from Morocco to Tunisia. It also nests in the territories of Western Asia and Asia Minor. Short-toed pikas nest in deciduous forests and usually winter there.

The nest is built in hollows and crevices of the bark; in a clutch there are from 5 to 7 eggs. In Russia, short-toed pikas can be seen on east coast Black Sea and Caucasus.

The steppe pika (lesser pika) is an animal belonging to the order Lagomorpha, living in semi-desert, forest-steppe and steppe zones.

The ideal habitat for these animals is areas with high vegetation. The habitat of the steppe pika is relatively small; it covers the territory of southern Russia and northern Kazakhstan, that is, they inhabit lands from the Volga to Mongolia.

These animals prefer a gregarious lifestyle. They are active at night. Common pikas dig holes with a numerous system of entrances and exits.

Appearance of the small pika

The animals reach 15-20 centimeters in length and weigh from 150 to 280 grams. The ears are small, round, and dark brown in color.

The ears are framed by a light border, but on the inside the auricle has a dark stripe. The tail is so short that it is impossible to notice. The length of the mustache reaches 5 centimeters.

In summer, the fur color is brown-gray with light spots; in winter, the fur becomes noticeably lighter, the streaks practically disappear, and it becomes thicker. Steppe pikas molt 2 times a year - autumn and spring.

Behavior and nutrition of the small pika

This species consists of 2 subspecies - Asian and European subspecies. European steppe pikas live in the western part of their range up to the Urals. The Asian subspecies lives in Kazakhstan and the Asian regions of our country.

Asian representatives of the species are slightly larger in size than their European counterparts, and they have a lighter color. There are also slight differences in the structure of the skull. There are no other anatomical differences between the subspecies.

Steppe pikas form flocks or families. Moreover, each family owns its own plot of land, which is protected from strangers. The family is building a huge network of underground passages.

These animals have temporary and permanent burrows. Temporary ones are used to quickly hide from a predator, and nesting chambers are built in permanent burrows. These chambers are lined with leaves and grass. Exits from permanent burrows are well camouflaged between vegetation or stones.

Steppe pikas feed on plant foods: leaves, grass, seeds, fruits and young shoots. The animals make provisions for the winter. Supplies are not stored in burrows, but near the entrance. How larger sizes families, the more reserves are made. Animals collect different kinds plants, harvesting begins in July.

In winter, steppe pikas move under the snow and rarely come to the surface. Animals also dig tunnels in the snow, the length of which can reach tens of meters. In addition to supplies, these animals eat dry grass and young bark of shrubs.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season occurs in May-August. During this time, the female makes 2 litters, each of which contains about 10 babies. Pregnancy lasts 3.5 weeks.

Babies are born blind and completely naked. The eyes open on the 8th day, and the fur appears a week later. The mother feeds the cubs with milk for 3 weeks. At the age of 6 weeks, the offspring become adults. But the young do not leave their parents until next spring, after which the individuals begin to disperse and form their own flocks. The lifespan of these animals is wildlife is 3 years.

Pika - animal, very charming, lives mainly in the mountainous regions of Asia. At first glance at pika photo it may seem that in front of you is a large field or.

However, the closest relatives pika mice are and . It was with their long-eared relatives that pikas were placed in a separate order - lagomorphs.

The genus of pikas itself is divided into three subgenera and has about thirty species. Let's note the most common of them. Northern pikas: Altai, Mongolian, Khentei, northern; pikas of artisanal steppes: Daurian, Tibetan, steppe; mountain pikas: Ili, Chinese, big-eared, red pika.

Why were these cute animals called that? The “culprit” was the high-pitched whistle that pikas emit when alerting the colony of approaching danger. Communication between members of the settlement also occurs using short whistling sounds.

Pictured is a northern pika

Characteristics of the pika

Externally mouse pika little similar to typical representatives of lagomorphs. If only with a small, almost invisible tail from the outside. The front and hind legs are short and do not vary in size, as in hares. The ears are round in shape, usually not exceeding half the length of the animal’s head.

The same cannot be said about the impressive size of the pika's whiskers, which help it navigate the terrain and sense changes in the weather. The body size is larger than that of field mice - on average 15-20 cm.

The toe pads are mostly bare, but there are also species in which they are covered with bristly hairs. The coat color changes depending on the season: in summer period it is brown or sandy-red, in winter it is plain gray.

Pictured is a red pika

Moreover, the skin of the pika is thin and unsightly, making it of no interest to industry.

Pika habitat

Mostly pikas live on mountain plains, since the vast majority of species prefer rocky terrain. The mountains of Central and Central Asia, the rocky expanses of China, India, and Afghanistan have become ideal territory for pika settlements.

There are colonies of animals and Far East and in some regions of Siberia. In Europe, pikas are extremely difficult to see, with the exception of the eastern outskirts, which are favored by only one species of rodent. Two species have found a home in North America. As can be seen from the geography of pika settlement, the animals prefer places with a cold climate.

In the photo Ili pika

Steppe pikas They dig numerous holes, similar to intricate labyrinths. Such dwellings can have many entrances and reach up to ten meters in length. The burrow usually contains both pantries for storing food supplies and cozy “nests” for raising offspring.

Those species of pikas that have settled in mountainous areas feel great, making shelters in rock crevices, under stone overhangs or among the web of roots of trees and large shrubs.

In snowy areas, pikas make their home directly in the snow, masterfully digging a hole in the shape of a ball, and carefully covering their new home with dried grass and small plant roots.

Pictured is a steppe pika

Food and lifestyle of the pika

Almost all pika species live in colonies. The population size ranges from hundreds to thousands of individuals, depending on the species and geographical habitat. Not being a predatory mammal, pikas eat all terrestrial vegetation that they can find within their habitat.

These are green stems of flowers and various herbs, plant seeds, and berries. The pikas are happy to feast on and cap mushrooms, lichens and mosses. They easily endure unfavorable weather periods in their homes, eating hay that is carefully collected and dried on sunny days. Making hay is a special ritual for which the small animal is often called hardworking pika.

The living conditions of these rodents dictate their own rules: in places where pikas live, there are much more cold days a year than sunny ones. Therefore, the process of preparing supplies begins in early spring, during the budding period flora, and ends only in mid-autumn.

It is during this period that usually secretive animals can be seen and heard. With its sharp teeth, the pika cuts off the stems of plants and lays them out in a thin layer on heated stones, carefully mixing the dried grass to prevent the process of rotting; this also helps to protect the hay from drying out.

In steppe regions, winds often rise, but this does not frighten the thoughtful animal. Pikas prepare small pebbles in advance, which are subsequently used to cover the laid hay. The finished grass is stored in specially selected places - in crevices of crumbling rocks or dug storerooms, protected from winds and rains.

The pika puts everything that does not fit in the burrows into small stacks, shaped like real haystacks. Due to this feature, the pika is often called a haymaker. It is by the numerous mounds of dry grass that one can easily identify a settlement pikas.

Ordinary a pyramid of hay does not exceed a few centimeters in height, but there is reliable information that alpine pikas can lay out “stacks” up to two meters high and weighing more than 20 kg.

Incredible, because the body weight of the animal itself barely exceeds 300 grams. Well, how can such fragrant mounds of other animals who are not averse to taking advantage of the fruits of other people’s labor not attract attention?

But pikas would not be pikas if they did not store hay for future use - both for food and for insulating their homes. Some northern species of pikas do not dry the grass, but put it fresh in their shelters.

In tundra areas, pikas build nests directly on the banks of lakes and rivers, or in driftwood deposits. It is not uncommon for animals to steal prepared hay from each other. Most species do not hibernate winter period.

Pictured is an alpine pika

A sufficient supply of prepared provisions allows you to easily survive cold winter without going outside in search of food. On warm days, pikas take sunbathing, basking on the warm stones and cheerfully whistling with the “settlers”.

But, unlike hares and others rodents, pika never stands on its hind legs and does not assume a vertical body position. In case of danger, the animal emits a piercing whistle, and the colony freezes. The main threat to pikas comes from predators.

The most dangerous pursuers are stoats. Due to its small size and flexibility of the body, it is able to penetrate even into burrows. Don't mind filling your stomach with animals, even if you happen to wander into a pika settlement. The population size is also influenced by various epidemics, which are not uncommon among rodents.

Mating season and reproduction of the pika

Pikas are mammals animals. Most of The animals live in family groups, in which there is a clear distribution of responsibilities for collecting grass and protecting the settlement from danger.

Pictured are baby pikas

Northern species of pikas breed once a year, while their southern relatives can produce offspring two or three times a year. The female's pregnancy lasts 30 days. After a month, from two to seven cubs are born. Heat-loving species give birth to naked babies.

In species that live in colder places, the offspring are usually covered with a thin layer of fur. It should be noted that, unlike hares, pikas are monogamous creatures.

Description

All subspecies of the common pika are quite similar in appearance: small birds with motley-spotted plumage on the upper body, a rufous tail and a grayish-white belly. The beak is relatively long, curved downwards; long and stiff tail feathers help to stay upright on tree trunks. The song is a melodic whistle, with a short “vet” at the end, the call is a high-pitched “tzit”.

The range of the common pika overlaps the ranges of some other species of the genus, which can cause problems with species identification in a number of areas. In Europe, the common pika coexists over most of the territory with the short-toed pika. Compared to the latter species, the common pika has a lighter lower body, a brighter and mottled upperpart, lighter eyebrows (supercilium) and a shorter beak. Visual identification, however, is quite difficult even for trapped birds. It is much easier to distinguish between the two species by their singing, but according to some observations, both species can sometimes produce a singing characteristic of either of them.

Three Himalayan subspecies of the common pika in Lately are often distinguished as a separate species - Hodgson's pika (Certhia hodgsoni), but if we classify them as the common pika, then the main features that distinguish it from the three other South Asian species of the genus will be the following: uniform coloring of the tail, unlike the Himalayan pika (Certhia himalayana); whitish throat, unlike the brown-throated pika (Certhia discolor); and dark sides, unlike the Nepalese pika (Certhia nipalensis).

Taxonomy

Short-toed pika, a similar species found in Europe

The common pika species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his monograph Systema naturae in 1758. The Latin name of the species comes from the Greek kerthios, a small tree-dwelling bird described by Aristotle and Latin familiaris, ordinary.

Nine to twelve subspecies of the common pika are classified; all subspecies are morphologically similar and interbreed freely. Modern performance about subspecies the following:

Spreading

The common pika is a widespread member of the genus; nests in temperate forests climate zone practically throughout all of Eurasia from Ireland to Japan, its total range has an area of ​​about 10 million km 2. This bird prefers old trees and, in most of Europe, where its range overlaps that of the short-toed pika, lives in coniferous forests, especially in thickets of spruce and fir; however, in areas where this species is the only pika, for example in the European part of Russia and in British Isles, he prefers broad-leaved and mixed forests to coniferous ones.

The common pika nests at sea level in the northern part of its range; in the south, nesting is characterized by high altitudes. In the Pyrenees, the lower limit of nesting is the isoline of 1370 meters, in China - 400-2100 meters, in southern Japan - 1065-2135 meters. The nesting territory is limited by the July isotherms of 14-16 °C and 23-24 °C.

The common pika is a sedentary bird in the western and southern parts of its range, but some northern birds migrate south in winter, and individuals nesting in the mountains often descend to lower altitudes with the onset of cold weather. Winter migrations and settlements of young birds lead to the observed flights of the pika beyond the boundaries of its established range. Winter migrants of Asian subspecies have been recorded in South Korea and southern China, and the nominate subspecies has been observed westward from its permanent range to the Orkney Islands and Scotland. The common pika has also been observed migrating to the Channel Islands (where a permanent population exists only of the short-toed pika), Mallorca and the Faroe Islands.

Security status

This species has a very large range (an area of ​​about 10 million square kilometers) and a large population: the number of the common pika in Europe alone is estimated at 11-20 million individuals. Population trends for the species have not been described, but it does not appear to be endangered according to the Red Book criteria (population decline by 30% within 10 years or three generations).

The bird is found quite often throughout almost the entire distribution area, except for the northern border of its range, where it is relatively rare due to the winter being too cold for it, especially if feeding is hampered by the formation of ice on tree trunks. This bird is also relatively rare in Turkey and the Caucasus. Western border The range is the Outer Hebrides (Scotland) and Norway. The first case of breeding in the Netherlands was recorded in 1993.

Lifestyle

Reproduction

A common pika chick hiding under loose tree bark

The common pika begins to breed at the age of one year, making nests in hollows, tree cracks or under the bark of an old tree (birch, aspen, linden). In areas where the American sequoiadendron has been acclimatized, this tree is a favorite nesting object because its soft bark easily forms voids. Sometimes cracks in buildings, walls and artificial nest boxes are used for nesting. Tries to make a nest low from the ground - from 0.5 to 4 meters. The lower part of the nest is a loose base, consisting of thin twigs and pieces of bark. The walls of the nest are made of grass, wood fiber, narrow leaves mixed with pieces of bark, wood, and moss. The litter is made of small feathers, cobwebs, cocoons, wool, and lichens. The nest has a flattened shape measuring 6-8 cm wide and 8-20 cm high. Sometimes pikas lay two clutches during the summer.

In Europe, a typical clutch consists of 5-6 eggs, laid from March to June, in Japan - from May to July.

Natural enemies

The pika's natural enemies, which are especially dangerous to nesting and flightless chicks, are the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), squirrels of both species found in Europe (common and Carolina), and small mustelids. Losses from predators are approximately three times greater in heterogeneous forests, dissected by clearings and clearings, than in dense forests (32.4% and 12.0%, respectively). Losses from predators are increasing in old forested areas and near agricultural sites, likely due to increased population densities of small mustelids in such areas. The survival rate of young birds is not known for certain, but 47.7% of adult birds survive each subsequent year.

The typical lifespan in the wild is two years, with the maximum recorded lifespan being eight years and 10 months.

Nutrition

It feeds mainly on insects, but also on other invertebrates - the bird jumps along tree trunks from bottom to top in a spiral. Having finished examining the tree, she flies to the bottom of another. Unlike the nuthatch, it never climbs down trees upside down. Although in most cases feeding is observed on trees, it is also possible on walls, as well as on the ground, especially among fallen needles coniferous trees; in cold winters the common pika may add some coniferous seeds to its diet.

Females of the common pika feed mainly on the upper part of the trunk, while males feed on the lower part. A study in Finland found that in the absence of a male, a single female feeds at a lower altitude, spends less time per tree, and has shorter feeding periods than a paired female.

In winter, pikas can from time to time join interspecific feeding flocks, but do not join in eating food found by tits or kinglets, but only take advantage of the safe environment in the flock (thanks to close monitoring of the situation). Finnish researchers have proven that in places where they eat large groups ants, the number of invertebrates suitable for pika food is significantly reduced, therefore, forest ants are a food competitor of these birds.

Behavior

The common pika is a small forest bird with camouflage plumage and quiet singing, making it easy to go unnoticed. Its characteristic movement is mouse-like movements in short vertical jerks along the trunks and thick branches of trees, using a long stiff tail and widely spread legs as a triangle of support. However, this bird is not very cautious and is often oblivious to human presence. It is characterized by an uneven pulsating flight, in which a butterfly-shaped series of wing flaps alternates with gliding on the wing and falls. Migrating birds can fly day or night, but the overall volume of migration is usually masked by the presence of local sedentary populations. This bird leads a solitary lifestyle in winter, but in cold weather flocks of one to two dozen pikas can form in a good shelter.

Notes

1. Boehme R. L., Flint V. E. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., "RUSSO", 1994. - P. 371. - 2030 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00643-0
2. Harrap, Simon; Quinn, David (1996). Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers. Christopher Helm. pp. 177-195. ISBN 0-7136-3964-4.
3. Hodgson's Treecreeper Certhia hodgsoni . BirdLife Species Factsheet. BirdLife International. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
4. Linnaeus C Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata.. - Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii)., 1758. - P. 118.
5. Treecreeper Certhia familiaris . BirdFacts. British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
6. Tietze, Dieter Thomas; Martens, Jochen & Sun, Yue-Hua (2006). "Molecular phylogeny of treecreepers ( Certhia) detects hidden diversity". Ibis 148 (3): 477–488. DOI:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2006.00547.x.
7. Eurasian Treecreeper. BirdLife Species Factsheet. BirdLife International. Archived from the original on August 18, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2009.

The lower part of the nest, the so-called platform, is a loose pile of thin dry twigs with a diameter of 2-3 mm, with their ends resting against the walls of the nest cavity. The nest itself is located on the platform. It is built from bast fibers, dry blades of grass, pieces of bark, rotten wood mixed with moss and lichens and held together by threads of cobwebs. The inner lining of the nest consists of small feathers, to which wool, cocoons and cobwebs are sometimes added. Quantity building material depends primarily on the location of the nest: in wide cracks and crevices there is a lot of it, in narrow and cramped ones, on the contrary, there is little. Nests located on loose bark usually have a laterally flattened shape. Nest height 11-17 cm, diameter 7-17 x 5-9 cm; tray depth 2.5-5 cm, diameter 5.5-6 x 3.5-6 cm. The dimensions of the nests greatly depend on the size of the niche in which they are placed.

A complete clutch consists of 5-6, less often 4 or 7 eggs. The shell is matte, milky or off-white. Small rusty-red and red-brown small specks and dots of different tones are scattered on it. Quite often, the spotting on the blunt pole of the egg is concentrated in the form of a corolla. Egg weight 1.3 g, length 15-17 mm, diameter 11-13 mm.

The bird begins laying eggs in the third ten days of April - early May. There are two litters per year (apparently not all pairs have them). The second clutch usually occurs in late May - early June. Two clutches per breeding season were recorded in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The female incubates for 13-15 (usually 14) days; the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents.

The chicks are fed with dipterans, homoptera, stoneflies, small beetles, as well as pine and spruce seeds. Food for the chicks is collected close to the nest from tree trunks, removing insects from cracks and crevices of the bark. Observations of 8 pika nests with 5–6 chicks of 7–8 days of age showed that the birds bring food 240–280 times a day. It was found that feeding of the chicks begins at about 4 o'clock and ends at 22 o'clock. There are three relative peaks in the supply of food - in the morning, afternoon and evening. the feeding intensity varies from 4 to 22 times per hour: this depends on the time of day and the age of the chicks (to a nest with chicks aged 4 days, the amount of food brought is significantly lower than to a nest with chicks aged 9 days). On average, each chick at the age of 8–9 days receives 30–40 servings of food per day.

At the age of about 16 days, the brood leaves the nest. Many pairs experience a second breeding cycle in June (in the southeast a little earlier - at the end of May - June).

After the chicks leave the nest, they continue to feed the fledglings for about 10 days. Then the young birds move on to independent life and begin to wander in search of food, sometimes moving many tens and even hundreds of kilometers away from their place of birth. During this period - at the end of summer and autumn - pika can often be found even in big cities. By the end of winter, all birds occupy permanent sites.

Vladimir Bondar. Mogilev district