Mountain turkey or Caucasian snowcock. Where there is a mountain turkey, photos and basic information

Mountain turkey is a bird that is not familiar to everyone. She does not live anywhere, so those who saw her personally, a little. The Caucasian snowcock, as the mountain turkey is called in a different way, is similar to a domestic chicken, and a bit to a partridge. This is the largest bird of the family pheasant.

Short description

What does a mountain turkey look like? The photo shown above shows that the main color in the plumage of these birds is gray. On it there are more light impregnations. Such camouflage helps the ular to hide from predators, since it makes it invisible against the background of rocks. Their average number varies between 400-700 thousand individuals.

The greatest weight that this bird can reach is 2.5 kg. It has a downed body, short and plump legs, a small neck, a small wide beak, short pointed wings and a comparatively long rounded tail. This body structure allows it to quickly move along steep slopes. Wings are used to keep the balance in the process of walking.

Where do mountain turkeys live?

Mountain turkey, it is also a Caucasian snowcock, is concentrated in the Alpine zone of the Main Caucasian Range. And here these birds can be found both at the level of 1800 and at an altitude of 4000 meters. The bird usually settles in gorges and stony placers. Since July, the snowcock has a habit of climbing closer to the peaks of the mountains, and in winter falls to the lower belts. Ular can be, although much less often, found in Central, Middle and Minor Asia, Southern Siberia.

A mountain turkey bird prefers not to move alone, but in small groups. Peak activity of mountain turkey is observed in the early hours of the day. At this time on the slopes of the mountains you can hear their melodic singing. Seeing the danger, the snowcats run to the precipice to plan into the abyss. During the flight the bird makes a whistle.

Features of food

Mountain turkey eats only plant food. On the slopes of the mountains, it collects leaves, seeds, flowers, buds and stems from about 70 plants growing in its habitat. The diet of the ular consists mainly of cereals, sedges, cloves and legumes.

For grinding food, ulars are in the habit of swallowing small pebbles. It happens that in their stomach can simultaneously be the number of pebbles approaching 20 g. Ular need not exhaust themselves in search of water sources, as the necessary amount of them they get from eaten plants.

How the reproduction takes place

Until mid-March, birds usually keep flocks. However, when they have a marriage period - each in itself. The males of the Caucasian snowcock, as well as the majority of feathered representatives of fauna, are usually attracted to the female by singing. It is not superfluous to consider a male and fight for a chosen one with an opponent. The marriage war greatly exhausts the male ular, and he decently loses weight in the time of love.

When to the male mountain turkey comes the realization that he finally achieved the position of the female, he raises his tail and extends his head. After fertilization, the male begins to actively add weight, bringing it to normal for himself.

After mating in March-April, the nesting takes place in birds. The female can carry from 5 to 8 eggs, then incubates them without the participation of a male. Hatching chicks reach the size of an adult in 3 months, and next spring they will be able to leave offspring.

Hunting for snowstorms

Hunters of the Caucasus usually do not go specifically to the snowstorms. If the turkey meets on the way, they will be happy to shoot it. But their main goal is usually large animals. It is not so easy to hunt, even to seasoned hunters. These birds often prevent hunters from obtaining large game in their loud voice. After seeing the danger, they emit piercing sounds that warn of the danger of all animals in the mountains. Previously, the meat of the ular was considered curative. Today it is a delicacy, which everyone would like to appreciate.

Few in my life saw a mountain turkey, or a Caucasian snowcock, even among the inhabitants of the Caucasus. This bird is very cautious and lives in hard-to-reach places. Watching her many had only from afar. The bird does not let a man close to him. If you ever get to a bird in the mountains with a marble plumage, like a chicken, it can be exactly the same mountain turkey.