Among the numerous winged inhabitants of Belarus there are particularly rare and, one might even say, vagrant species of birds, the sight of which will be a real success. Birds there include fire, also called red duck (white - pitching-ogar, agar). For the first time in our country, an unusual bird was noted back in 1954. Over the past few years, the gorse has also been recorded in Belarus in a variety of water bodies, but sightings of this bird are still very rare.
The sardine (Tadorna ferruginea) is a large duck with a body length of 58 to 70 cm and a wingspan of up to 145 cm. A distinctive feature of this species is the rich orange-red color of the plumage, which in an adult bird takes on an almost solid appearance. The head and neck of males are slightly lighter and can be almost white, while females are usually more evenly colored. During the mating season, the male develops a black ring around his neck. The wings are white with black tips to the flight feathers, making them easily recognizable in flight.
The red duck lives in the steppe and semi-desert regions of southern Eurasia, from Southeast Europe to Central Asia. Birds of this species prefer to settle near bodies of fresh water, but can also live in brackish bodies of water. Depending on the region, they can lead a sedentary or nomadic lifestyle. It is curious that the fires are actively spreading throughout Moscow; there are suggestions that the birds are “escaping” from zoos and are beginning to lead an urban lifestyle.
The cinder makes characteristic loud and sharp sounds, reminiscent of a cackle, which makes them noticeable over long distances. These are very territorial birds, especially during the nesting period, and can quite aggressively defend their territory, both from other ducks and from predatory animals.
In Belarus, the ogre is a truly rare guest; historically this species did not live in the country, however, in recent decades, isolated cases of flights of these birds have been recorded, especially during the spring and autumn migration periods. Taking into account climate change and the expansion of its range, the likelihood of encountering the gorse in Belarus is gradually increasing. Read also about the unique shpak with leucism.
