Duck fire (red duck) what does it look like? Ogar duck: photo

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Duck Ogar is a waterfowl, belongs to the duck family. In many cultures of different peoples, including Slavic ones, the ogar was considered a sacred bird. In Altai, until the Second World War, this bird was not hunted. Only the threat of death from starvation forced the locals to hunt this amazingly beautiful bird.

Description

What does a ruddy duck look like? Large bird weighing up to 1600 grams, on high legs. In its appearance, it is more like a goose, especially in flight. An adult can reach a length of 70 cm, with a wingspan of up to 145 cm.

Ogar duck (her photo is in the text) has a beautiful red plumage.

At the beginning of the season, the color is darker, almost chocolate, fades over the summer and becomes bright red with a reddish tint. This plumage color is almost all over the body of the bird. Only on the head it is lighter. Flight wings, tail and rump are black in color, with a greenish tint.

In addition, there are clearly visible white spots on the covert feathers on both sides of the wing. On the secondary flight feathers along the front edge, a speck of green color is clearly visible - a “mirror”. Beak and legs are black.

During the mating season, the male has a black edging on the upper part of the neck. After molting, this "collar" disappears. The female has almost white feathers on the sides of the head. Juveniles have duller plumage and are more reminiscent of female ruddy shelducks with feathers that are gray rather than white.

Habitat Halo

Wild ogar ducks have a fairly extensive halo of habitat: Turkey, northwest Africa, Greece, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Russia, Mongolia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Romania, India, China.

Despite such a wide geography, in some countries, due to human activities, the bird population is steadily declining. There were cases when wild shelducks settled within the city.

A striking example is the Moscow population. It is believed that it appeared in 1948 from birds that flew away from the zoo. It was at this time that the birds that lived in the Moscow Zoo stopped clipping their wings.

Birds have bred, they live mainly in the territories of the Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo estate, Timiryazevsky park and Kuskovo forest park. They do not fly away for the winter, preferring to spend the winter on non-freezing water bodies. They do not forget about their "small homeland" - the Moscow Zoo, where in the harsh season they are always fed by the employees of the institution.

Features

The ruddy duck has a number of characteristic features that are unique to this species of birds:

• they do not live in flocks, preferring pairs (they gather in flocks only during molting or wintering);
• although related towaterfowl, do not need spacious reservoirs for normal living;
• during the mating season, it is the female who chooses the drake;
• a selfish bird, does not tolerate rivals on its territory and drives birds even of its own species from a busy pond.

The fire duck (her photo is really admirable) has a loud voice, which she enjoys using. True, her cry is more like a donkey, and in females it is louder and sharper.

Food

The rudder duck, or red duck, is looking for food at dusk or at night. During the day, the bird rests. Ogar eats both plant and animal food. Worms, small beetles and other insects can serve as food for birds. Duck fire on occasion can pick up carrion.

In ponds, birds filter the water in search of food. They can eat crustaceans, small fish and frogs. However, they still prefer to forage on land. They graze in the meadows, plucking out young greens. In autumn, winter seeds are pecked in the fields. A smart bird picks up grain spilled during transportation on the roads.

Reproduction

After returning from wintering in March, when the ice has not yet melted on the reservoirs, the shelducks begin to look for a mate. The female takes the initiative. The drake can only stand on one leg or, lowering its head and dragging its wings, walk in circles around its future "wife".

Ogar, or red duck, choose burrows of foxes and other burrowing animals for nesting. It can make a nest in a rock crevice or in a hollow tree. Suitable and old abandoned buildings, and steep slopes on the banks of reservoirs. By the way, a reservoir is not the main thing in choosing a place for a nest. It can be located at a distance of 2-3 km from it.

Birds are monogamous, creating pairs for many years. Some even prefer the same nest year after year. After mating and preparing the nest (it must be lined with a thick layer of white fluff), the female lays one egg every day. Milky or cream-colored eggs, weighing 80 grams. In total, there are from 8 to 12 eggs in a clutch, sometimes there are more - up to 18 pieces.

After the duck lays the last egg, it sits on the clutch. During the incubation period, the male is very aggressive and does not let anyone into his territory. The instinct to protect the nest is so strong that the bird does not always adequately perceive the situation and may attack a larger rival without hesitation.

After 30 days ducklings appear. Fluffy chicks are pure white, except for the top of the head - it is black and brown back. Duck Ogar immediately takes them to the pond. Kids swim and dive very well. The parents, both equally, take care of the chicks for up to two and a half months until they fledge.

Young growth reaches sexual maturity by two years. During this period, ducks begin to pair up.

Captive breeding

Ogar, or red duck (the difference is only in the name), breeds well in captivity. They quickly get used to the person and the conditions of detention. Aggressive behavior during incubation and desperate defense of their chicksforcing the owners of the ogres to give them a separate fenced area.

Usual conditions of keeping, as for other breeds of ducks:

• in the summer, a barn with bedding for spending the night, walking with water (even a bath will do);
• in winter, a warm room with plenty of bedding and constant access to a drinking bowl with water.

The excellent instinct of incubation and the natural strength of babies allow 100% to save hatched chicks.

Water is necessary for birds, it can be a natural or artificial reservoir. In order to get well-fed ducks weighing 3-4 kg, and drakes - up to 6.5 kg, the bird should be fed abundantly. Bran, grain, waste from the table are added to the diet. The quality of meat depends on the diet, with the right content, tender, low-fat dietary meat is obtained. In addition to meat, you can get up to 120 eggs and high quality fluff from red ducks.

The bird is also of interest from the point of view of settling artificial park reservoirs. She quickly finds a nesting place and gets used to the person.

Hunting

The meat of the shelduck in the fall with the transition to plant foods is very tasty, without any aftertaste.

They are hunted like other ducks. Usually from a steal made near a pond. The only thing that experienced hunters pay attention to when hunting this bird is to shoot a couple at once if possible. In the event of the death of one of the fires, the second will circle over the place where the partner died and scream wistfully. spectacleunpleasant and heartbreaking. They also hunt birds in places of molting and during the migration period.