Gus sukhonos - description, habitat, interesting facts

Everyone knows about the goose since childhood - in our youth most of us heard a children's song about two geese living with a grandmother. From the fairy tale about the boy Niels about how these birds look, everyone knows. So it will be easier to talk about a representative of the goose family called sukhonos.

Goose-sukhonos or Chinese goose - the largest bird belonging to the duck family.

Appearance

Externally, it has a rather large resemblance to the domestic goose, but there are some differences: the neck of the sukhonos is longer, the front and sides are white, the back is dark brown, and the beak with a white border is heavier and heavier at the base. The beak of the sukhonos differs in larger sizes than in other species - the length can be up to 10 centimeters. It is the size of this part of the body that distinguishes the representatives of this species from other geese and gives them a certain peculiarity. The mandible has some swelling.

The weight of these birds ranges from 3 to 4.5 kilograms, the body length reaches 1 meter 10 centimeters, the wingspan is from 1.5 to 1.8 meters. Males are larger than females — somewhat larger. The color of the plumage of the dry-sucker is almost the same as that of his household counterparts, only it has more brown and ocher shades.

The abdomen, as well as the undertail with a nadhvostiem, have a light white color. The back, wings and lateral part are of a dark gray color with thin strips running across, having a lighter color. The neck and the entire chest is pale yellow. From the neck to the base of the beak there is a strip of coffee color, the plumage has the same color shades. The legs are small, but strong, red or orange, equipped with membranes, like any waterfowl.

Males and females have the same color, young ducks have one distinctive feature - until the age of maturity they are deprived of their bright border, encircling their beak.

Habitat

There is a version that it was precisely because of the frequent visit to China that the dry-witted and was called the Chinese goose. Also, dry-leaved trees are found in areas of Inner Mongolia, in the steppes of Kazakhstan, North and South Korea, in Vietnam and Laos, Thailand and the countries of the Middle East. In preparation for the flight and gathering in a huge flock, geese are anxious and noisy, uttering a long guts. To overcome large distances, they line up with a wedge - a similar method of movement makes it possible to overcome a much greater distance than with a single flight. Because it is easier for birds to fly on the waves created by flapping wings of birds that fly in front. The leader who leads the flight is the hardest of all, so from time to time he goes to the very end of the pack, and another goose is attached to his place, some time later giving way to the next one.

Nutrition

Siberian beetles feed on all types of grain and cereals growing in nature - in this respect they are omnivorous, eat algae, any herbs, but preference is given to sedge, they eat all kinds of berries, also earthworms, various beetles and caterpillars are eaten. To fully feed, geese choose open grassy areas near the shore of the reservoir, where they feed in groups, resembling herds of domestic cattle. Often, newly-planted grain is chosen for food, finding food in the ground.

Sukhonosov is fairly easy to tame and breed at home, in zoological parks and special nurseries. Thanks to this species, domestic Chinese geese appeared. The geese living in the household next to the person, except for the above feed, feed the diet by a variety of feed, alfalfa, carrots, all kinds of cabbage, sugar beet and silage.

How the dry-suckers breed

A couple of geese are chosen during the flight home or immediately after returning to their homeland. Nests begin to settle in May, choosing swampy areas near the water surface in the reed beds.The female digs a small hole in the ground and the nest arrangement begins in it. The construction is carried out on the stems of last year’s dry grass growing near the water of the plants, the bottom is lined with down and feathers.

In the clutch, females usually have from five to eight eggs weighing about 15 g, she incubates them for 30 days, all the time being in the nest. The male gets food to feed and carries security activities.

Hatching ducklings, having dried, leave the nest, together with their parents move to the reservoir and are under the supervision of their parents for a long time, moving in small groups. Seeing the enemy, looking for salvation in the thick grasses or dive into the pond. In the first months of life, adult birds do not release young animals to more open spaces, for fear of attacking enemies. As a rule, only the next year, children are separated from the total flock, starting a pair. Until this time, are under the supervision of adults.

Moult

Shedding and changing feathers depends on the weather conditions, comes first from the old, non-nesting birds. Then young saponians start shedding - approximately, in the beginning of June. Adults and mature birds molt a month and a half later - in July and August.The process takes about 30 days.

Sukhonos and man

Hunting for the wild goose-sukhonos is prohibited, although there are cases of poaching and the destruction of nests. Thus, the number of species is steadily declining. The reasons for this are human activities: the construction of various kinds of hydroelectric power plants, the drainage of wetlands, the construction of land in the floodplains of rivers, the regulation of river flows, anxiety about the human presence.

Interesting Facts

1. Sukhonos, unlike other species, the bird is sociable and not cowardly, it does not run away from people. This served not only to tame more quickly, but also to exterminate geese of this species.
2. Sukhonos is a rare endangered species, therefore, is listed in the Red Book. In the world there are no more than 10,000 individuals, and in Russia there are about 200 pairs.
3. Sukhonos male very seriously relates to the protection of the nest. Repeatedly, there were cases when, in order to distract and deflect enemies, he pretended to be wounded and ran away, dragging the attacker along and taking him as far as possible.
4. Sukhonosy perfectly dive and swim. Goose got its name from the fact that, plunging while swimming with the whole body into the water, it holds the beak above the surface of the water surface.
5. Only during flights and breeding birds gather in flocks. For the rest, they prefer to live in small groups - from 30 to 45 individuals.

Video: Goose sukhnos (Anser cygnoides)