Siskin is a migratory or sedentary bird. How a siskin lives and looks - a bird of the family of passerines

Few representatives of birds can boast of the same balanced, harmless character that is inherent in the sissy. How, if not excessive gullibility, can explain the fact that siskins often find themselves in traps set up?

I want a siskin: keeping the bird!

Chizhiks can compete not only in terms of beauty. They are smarter than overseas pets. Thanks to a well-developed natural memory, they, having got used to the owner caring for him, are able to recognize him among the rest of the household. As soon as this person appears in the bird's field of vision, the bird immediately becomes playful and begins to sing.

It may seem surprising, but I have inherent high level culture and discipline, like. The presence of such qualities does not give rise to concern if you accidentally forgot to close the cell door: the prisoner will not run away anywhere and, moreover, will not leave traces of life in the room, anywhere. Chizhik will immediately return back to his small dwelling at the command of the owner. The bird is easily accustomed to this. It is precisely because nature has endowed the siskin with an unsurpassed memory and a sharp mind that it can be taught the correct behavior without much effort.

Chizh easily finds “ mutual language»With other inhabitants of the bird's hostel, never gives rise to a quarrel. If any of the novice breeders decides to acquire this beautiful bird, then he should be prepared for the fact that in the character of each of the individuals, like in humans, there are individual characteristics. Of course, everything described in the previous paragraphs is true for most siskins, however, birds differ slightly from each other in habits, preferences, etc.

Pleasantly pleased with the neatness of the siskins. The cage must have a container filled with water to meet the hygienic needs, i.e. water procedures. Feathered neat birds will be able to maintain their unusually bright plumage in excellent condition. Separately, you need to put a container with clean water so that the bird can quench its thirst. It is important to keep the water clean and change the water periodically so that no additional prerequisites for deteriorating health are created.

The minimum width and length of the slatted dwelling should be 40 by 40, and the height should be 10 centimeters less. Peacefulness and kind-heartedness can harm the sir if he has to coexist with representatives of birds, whose character is far from angelic. This circumstance must be taken into account when organizing a bird's "hostel" - the mores of the inhabitants, as well as the sizes, should not differ.

One of the conditions for good assimilation of food by a siskin, like any other bird, is the presence of small grains of sand in its goiter. Therefore, a feeder should be attached to the cage wall, into which the cleaned river sand... There you can also add mineral supplements useful for the body in the form eggshell, chalk and charcoal.

It is possible to create conditions as close as possible to the natural habitat by attaching different perches. There should be as many of these accessories as possible. Thus, the interval will be very small; therefore, the siskin can easily jump over, and not fly between the perches. Any owner or hostess can make such simple structures with their own hands, using twigs as a material. The perches should not be even, so that diseases of the limbs (legs) are not provoked in the siskin during its stay in the cage.

Siskins are in motion most of the time, and their constant presence in the cage constrains them. Therefore, it is necessary to open the cage and release the prisoner to freedom, so that he can enjoy free flights indoors. Leave the door open - the siskin will fly back unhindered when it sees fit. Otherwise, the bird will worry, and this the best way will affect his health.

How to feed the siskin?

Siskins love seeds conifers... Therefore, we must make sure that this delicacy is always in stock, and as gratitude for the treats, the owners of the bird will listen to charming songs. Of greatest interest for pets are the seeds of young cones, which have blossomed not so long ago. V winter time an alternative is spruce needles - an excellent source of vitamins. In addition, in winter, it is advisable to include finely chopped cabbage leaves and grain that have been previously germinated in the diet. If you finely chop alder, birch, willow and pine branches, you get not only food, but also a means for cleaning the beak and sharpening the claws.

In the summer, the issue of feeding the siskin is solved much easier: near the house or in the garden there is almost always a dandelion or lettuce leaves. The bird will not refuse an apple, carrot and pumpkin pulp, which must first be cut into pieces as thin as possible so that it is more convenient for the bird to peck at them. In no case should you give a pear - it causes indigestion (diarrhea).

Siskins happily peck on ant pupae (eggs from an anthill), small insects and insect larvae. It is useful to feed chicks and adults during the molting period with chicken eggs, which are hard-boiled, and then finely crumbled and add dried White bread... Also, the variety of the diet is facilitated by the use of boiled rice.

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Not every amateur birdwatcher is lucky enough to spot a siskin that belongs to the finch family.

Siskin: a description of the bird?

Its body has a length ranging from 10 to 12 cm, and weighs no more than 18 g. wildlife siskins live on average three years. For most of the "lucky ones" who are in captivity, provided they are properly maintained, life expectancy increases almost threefold. They can live with a person as long as they live.

This is a typical representative of passerines, just as smart and prudent. He has an emotional character, which is not revealed at the beginning of acquaintance with the bird. The repertoire of the melodies of this improviser is chirping-trills in various combinations.

Females, oddly enough, look more modest, the outfit is less bright in comparison with the stronger sex. In males, feathers are colored yellow and olive color, in addition, on their surface are noticeable small size dark spots with fuzzy outlines. The features of the appearance of males include black spot in the area of ​​the front of the neck, and the head is covered with a “cap” of the same color.

The female is distinguished by gray and yellow feathers of slightly pale shades. There are coffee-colored dots along the abdomen. The length of the tapered beak is extremely short. However, wielding this sturdy tool, the bird deftly removes aphids and insects from under tree bark, and seeds - from spruce and pine cones.

Where does the siskin live?

Siskins spread in the coniferous and mixed forests of the Eurasian continent. Siskins overwinter in the southern regions of Europe, where they gather even before the winter cold sets in, i.e. in the last days of September. Come back at the end of the last winter month... But not everyone leaves their native lands, but are looking for places where there is enough feed. These are usually the banks of streams or rivers, which remain free of ice during the winter. Almost all the time, siskins take refuge in trees, and on the ground they appear only in case of emergency.

The siskin menu consists of seeds and buds of different plants, but I especially like to feast on the seeds of such trees as birch and alder. Life forces the birds to group in flocks in winter - it is easier to feed this way. But with the onset of warm spring days there is a natural disintegration of bird groups. Soon, obeying the laws of nature, individuals of opposite sexes form pairs with the aim of procreation.

The courtship of the male looks very funny. He not only flies around his chosen one, but also pleases her with charming singing. Ultimately, she manages to convince her friend of the seriousness of her intentions. The female proceeds to the construction of the nest, the place for which is chosen as high as possible and reliably covered with coniferous branches. The male does not stop singing, inventing different variants... Perhaps, with his songs, he tries to express the overwhelming feelings of the fact that he managed to start a family. However, another explanation for the interpretation of melodic songs has a right to exist - the praise of one's abilities.

Sometimes I manage to copy the singing of other birds, which indicates the presence of an unusual talent! Here it is appropriate to use the words of the famous Soviet song “the song helps us to build and live”: inspired by the singing, the female tirelessly continues to build a nest. Blades of grass, thin twigs are used, and lichen and moss are used as a strengthening material. As interior decoration bowls used down and feathers.

In order not to seem like a bum, the male siskin from time to time interrupts his chants and joins in work in the role of an ordinary helper. His contribution is limited to what he brings to his wife-craftswoman building material. Through the efforts of a married couple, eggs are laid in the built nest in the amount of five to six eggs, the shell of which has a bluish-green tint with brown spots. The female sits on them and patiently waits for the chicks to hatch after 12 days.

Feeding responsibilities for pups are equally shared by both parents. You have to sweat a lot to meet the nutritional needs of the younger generation. Parents spend most of their 12 days looking for food in the form of seeds and insects. The absorption of food in such incredible volumes is not in vain, since the chicks have to quickly grow up and leave the parent nest.

Getting used to an independent adult life occurs gradually. After 2 weeks, the grown chicks are able to fly, nevertheless, for the next 10-12 days they are under the careful care of the parents who feed the young. Siskins hatch eggs twice during one season. Typically, these events occur in April and late June. Individuals that have not reached adulthood have almost the same color of feathers as the female that hatched them.

Can a siskin be kept at home?

Taming and keeping in an apartment, for example, or canaries is considered the order of the day. It turns out that the siskin can also live among people, the process of getting used to which takes relatively little time.

Having left the cage, the bird flies around the room. On the way, the mischievous person will pamper with one of the guests, sit on someone's shoulders or head, play with an earlobe, etc. Complete confidence in the owner is demonstrated by drinking water from his mouth. Due to the fact that no aggression towards other species of birds is shown from the side of the siskin at all, it makes it possible to fearlessly keep them together in one bird dorm such as an aviary or a cage.

Separately, one individual will need a very small lattice "living space" where he will be comfortable. It is advisable to attach spruce or pine branches in the cage, and cover the bottom with grass, moss, down, etc. But the guests country house or apartments will be able to enjoy the singing of their pet for 10 months a year.

The diet is not special, because the siskin will be content with carrots, apples, herbs (for example, plantain or dandelion). The main components of cereal mixtures are oatmeal and millet.

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Classification

View: siskin

Family: finches

Detachment: sparrow

Suborder: singers

Genus: goldfinches

The size: 10 to 13 centimeters long

Weight: 10 to 18 grams

Life Expectancy: In their natural environment: live for about 3 years. In captivity: at good care, individuals were recorded that lived up to 10 years.

Siskin is a friendly, small bird that lives in coniferous and mixed forests. In the cold season, birds wander in flocks in search of food.

Often, siskins, like them, are kept at home, they are friendly, picky about living conditions.

The bright colors and pleasant chirping of these songbirds please the owners almost all year round.

The name of the bird has been heard by many since childhood, thanks to the comic song: "Chizhik-fawn, where have you been?"

Habitat

Siskins can be found almost everywhere there is a forest. They especially often live in forests located in mountainous areas, preferring coniferous or mixed vegetation for nesting.

In purely deciduous groves, the siskin does not nest, but lives there only during flights or wanderings. In winter, siskins are often hunted in alder forests, birch forests, and even in parks of large cities.

The plumage of the siskin has a predominantly yellow-green palette, which in many ways makes it similar to the description of the appearance of the canary yellow finch.

The extensive distribution of the finch family was recorded throughout Europe and Asia, from Karelia to the Caucasus.

V winter period goldfinches, like and, wander to places with a more suitable climate, therefore they are frequent guests of the southern part of Crimea.

Individuals living in the Caucasus do not fly away to warmer climes- for wintering, it is enough for them to go down from the mountain forests to the valleys.

Characteristic

At first glance, the siskin is inconspicuous, quiet and has a timid character. But after a short acquaintance, the bird shows interest and friendliness, evoking positive emotions in its admirers.

The siskin sings songs consisting of various trills, often imitating the singing of other birds, especially tits.

And in free flight, the siskin tirelessly emits its calling sound, similar to "chilik", or "siskin", most likely from here it was customary to call this bird - "siskin-fawn", about which the same song is composed.

This cry is usually followed by a chirping "rubbing" or something similar.

Interesting fact!In nature, siskins make their nests in the lush branches of tall spruce trees, hiding the offspring from prying eyes. Therefore, it is unlikely that anyone will be lucky enough to stumble upon the hiding place of a siskin - he knows how to perfectly disguise himself.

Siskin in flight

Appearance

The plumage of the siskin has a predominantly yellow-green palette, which in many ways makes it similar to the description of the appearance of a canary yellow finch. The siskin is distinguished by a pointed beak and predominance of yellow color on the wings and tail.

Expressed features and sex in males and females.

Their outfits look brightest in spring, during courtship and nesting, so it is not difficult to determine what a male siskin looks like.

• Mature males have yellow-green plumage on top with dark longitudinal stripes and a somewhat rich yellowish tail. There is a small black cap on the head, and the back of the head and neck are black. Above the eye - a yellow line resembles an eyebrow, the wings are dark with two yellow stripes running across. The tail feathers are black with a yellow-green transition ending at the ends with a white border.
• The female siskin does not fit such a colorful description as that of the male. She is not as bright as the male siskin looks, her tone is much more restrained, moreover, she does not have a black cap. The absence of black color on the head and neck, grayish-green coloration of the back, whitish-yellow with blackish longitudinal spots of the abdomen, everything is much more modest. Juveniles are colored in almost the same way as females. And only with the onset of maturity, young animals acquire the appropriate color.

Key Features

From the outside, it may seem that birds are randomly flying from tree to tree, but this is not so.

After observing the flock, located on one of the trees, you can see how the siskins are talking among themselves.

Chirping quietly, deftly jumping from branch to branch in search of seeds, helping themselves with tenacious claws and beak.

After the signal given by the leader, the flock in wave-like movements flies in unison to another tree.

At the beginning of autumn, siskins gather in flocks, and with the onset of cold weather they go to wander in a warmer area. In winter, yellow-green birds can be seen just walking around the city.

Nutrition

Siskin's favorite treat is seeds. different trees... Young buds with herbs are also eaten.

Alder cones are preferred, but in the cold season it is not necessary to sort out, then you have to be content with pine and spruce fruits.

A favorite delicacy is alder cones, but spruce cones are also suitable in winter!

These little birds are unpretentious in food. Even hemp seeds, which are not recommended for many species of birds, are safe to feed on siskins.

When kept at home, they willingly eat a wide variety of seeds: rapeseed, poppy seeds, flax seeds, millet.

Many nutrients contained in a nightingale mixture, with a reduced content of ant larvae.

In the diet of birds, lettuce, wood lice, tradescantia or other similar vegetation should also be present.

Gullibility, friendliness and quick-wittedness, which are characteristic of the siskin, made it one of the favorite songbirds for home keeping.

Due to the simplicity of character, siskins often fall into various traps or become a prey to predators.

• In captivity, it quickly tames and becomes attached to the owners. He calmly flies around the room outside the cage, often flirts with people. A little feathered friend can sit on the head or shoulder of his owner, fiddle with his earlobe with his beak, drink water from his mouth and perform any other tricks that a smart bird can be taught.
• Keeping a siskin in captivity is a snap. Even a small cage will suit him, besides, the peaceful bird easily gets along with birds of other breeds. Therefore, siskins can be kept in a common cage or aviary with many species of birds.
• The songs of the siskin are able to cheer up with their fervor and cheerful, unpleasant notes, and they are ready to sing 10 months a year! Despite the fact that they live outside the will, cute creatures feel comfortable and even playfully in a cage, as if they were born there. Having got used to a person, the siskin becomes unusually tame and affectionate, meets the owners with gentle chirping and sincere joy.
• A caught siskin will not be ashamed of a new dwelling for long, will immediately begin to husk seeds of hemp or millet, and on the third day will begin to hum its motives and calmly endure the presence of a person nearby. If possible, the cage should be spacious, the restless bird likes to be naughty. When he gets used to the house, he can be released from the cage without fear, having previously closed the windows and doors. He will always return to his place. Of all the songbirds, the siskins are considered the most tame, therefore, if necessary, it will be quite easy to catch it.
• Siskins are fed with ordinary grain mixtures, with the main content of millet and oatmeal. You can mimic natural food by mixing seeds conifers trees, alder, birch, dandelion and plantain. Some fresh fruits and vegetables are useful for them, for example: apples, carrots, herbs.

The bird quickly gets used to humans and becomes completely tame

Captive breeding

At suitable conditions, siskins are capable of breeding in captivity. The cage is equipped with everything necessary to create a nest:

• To do this, two walls are closed tightly, you can use plywood, forming an angle.
• The ceiling will also need to be lightly covered with a cloth.
• Decorate the inner space of the cage with several branches of spruce or pine, on which to install special bases to create a nest.
• At the bottom, put grass, moss, down, small feathers of poultry and everything that can be suitable for siskins to create a nest.

Creating conditions for breeding siskins at home

When feeding chicks in their natural environment, parents give preference to protein foods - larvae, caterpillars and other insects.

So that the babies do not feel discomfort, the birds should also have larvae or caterpillars in the diet.

But if it is not possible to feed with natural animal protein, then you can enrich the food, hard-boiled, chicken egg... It is rubbed on a grater and then mixed with breadcrumbs and carrots until crumbly.

Chizhi are not indifferent to water, they love to swim. Therefore, in addition to containers intended for drinking, it is advisable to put a bathing container in the cage.

Important!During the nesting period, the couple must be given rest, this will provide a greater likelihood of breeding. Cleaning the cage at this time should not be done too often; change the food and water as carefully as possible.

A ruffled male trying to attract the attention of a female

Reproduction in a natural environment

For their nest, birds choose the tallest and thickest spruce or pine trees. The place for future chizhat should, according to the parents, be no lower than 10 meters from the ground.

Both the female and the male participate in the construction of the nest in the same way. They carefully intertwine thin twigs, roots, blades of grass, after which they cover the resulting (rather deep) bed with soft fluff, feathers and wool.

The nest is a hemispheric structure. Its base is located at the very trunk, which is covered with lichen for camouflage, in tune with the nest itself.

The siskin's nest is carefully hidden from prying eyes, it is almost impossible to find it in nature

Eggs are laid in late April or early May. Usually the female lays 5-6 testicles, they are uneven in size and may differ from each other in color.

The size of a siskin egg varies from 14 to 18.5 mm in length. The shell color is white with a blue or greenish tint, numerous dots, lines and scribbles are dark burgundy.

Parents take good care of their chicks

The female incubates chicks for about 12-14 days. Both parents take care of the nutrition of the children, bringing them various insects, caterpillars and larvae.

Babies grow very quickly and are ready for their first flight on the 15th day.

In a few weeks, the younger generation, having become an adult, will make room for the next offspring. After all, it is typical for siskins to breed twice a year.

Conclusion

And when the younger chicks grow up, autumn is not far off. And then, with the onset of cold weather, the renewed siskin families will gather in flocks and again begin to roam in search of warmth and nourishing food, repeating their traditions from year to year.

Siskin - The friendliest songbird

Siskin: description and characteristics of what the bird looks like and where it lives. Features of keeping, feeding and breeding in captivity.

Siskin is a songbird belonging to the order of passerines, the family of finches. The habitat of siskins is wide enough, the number is also large. This is a migratory bird, so it is difficult to find it in one place. Dwells in coniferous forests Eurasia. There are many of them in the forests of Russia. They arrive in Crimea only in the winter, and in the Caucasus, in the cool season, they fly from the mountains to the valleys.

Before the winter cold they fly away to warm places:

1. Africa.
2. South China.

The duration of the flight of birds is associated with the availability of food. They constantly live only in forests consisting of conifers with a small admixture of deciduous species. They love reed beds... There siskins find their favorite delicacy. These are birch and alder seeds. But such a refuge for birds is considered temporary; they do not prefer to nest in such places. By the spring flight from warm regions, they begin to gather in early February.

Description of appearance

The color of birds is quite colorful and bright, with yellow-greenish tones. You can notice a blotch of dark spots in the upper part of the body and light yellow spots in the lower one. Their wings have stripes, the body is quite dense. The birds are small, their weight reaches no more than 15 g, and the body length is only 13 cm.

Female and male individuals have a different color... The males have a dark cap on the head, a black tail and wings. Yellow spots are visible on the chest and cheeks. The siskin has a sharp conical beak, very short and thin. Males are characterized by a bright outfit lemon color, and for females - gray. Females have feathers on the back of a slightly greenish tint, there are no spots on the head. Dark spots are visible only on the abdomen. Females are similar in color to young chizhat.

Lifestyle and behavior

Chizhi flock only before flights, the rest of the time they live in constant pairs. Sometimes, before leaving, they do not immediately fly to permanent wintering, and wander, gradually moving through coniferous and mixed forest areas. It happens that a siskin spends the winter by an ice-free lake or river.

But they live in this segment of the year only high in the trees. They prefer not to even go down to the ground. They also organize nests there. Upon returning from wintering, they immediately start building nests on the tops of coniferous trees. Building material is lichen and moss. Both individuals are usually engaged in construction. The male siskin searches for material and brings, and the female is engaged in building a house. They line the interior of the dwelling with soft grasses.

Reproduction and nutrition

Birds live up to 2 years, but some individuals can live up to 10 years. The mating season begins during nesting in early spring... Males begin to sing loudly songs, and females answer them quietly. Taking care of the female, the siskin begins to fly around her, spreads its wings and tail. The fertilized female sits on pear-shaped eggs. Eggs rarely exceed 15 mm in diameter. There are no more than 6 eggs in a clutch. Incubation period- 15 days.

The male brings food to the female, occasionally replacing her, lets her fly out of the nest. The hatched chicks are fed by the parents for 2 weeks. There are usually only two broods per season. In August, young chicks can already gather in flocks. Siskin is a herbivorous bird. It feeds on the seeds of trees and grasses. Siskin loves dandelion seeds very much. They hardly eat insects. This is rare and only occurs during the breeding season. Parents can feed their chicks with caterpillars and aphids. Sometimes they bring babies, soft leaves, grass, kidneys.

Chizhi are popular pets. You can lure them in nature with the help of food or another siskin that has already been caught. More often fishing is successful before the autumn flight... The singing of birds will not especially delight the ears of the inhabitants of the apartment, but it is very pleasant to listen to the flooded trills. The male will make sounds as early as 2 weeks in captivity. He becomes silent only for the period of molting. The bird quickly gets used to people. He can fly around the apartment and then return to his house.

The siskin can live with other species of birds in the same cage. It is good to breed these birds even at home. To do this, you need to put in the cage to the pair small size nest and mask it with spruce legs. Chizhi are very fond of swimming in a container with water placed in a cage. it clean birds... Having got wet, the siskin will rest. He will not be able to fly wet. At home, you need to feed the birds with seeds with the addition of millet and oats. Give coniferous, alder or birch seeds more often. They love to feast on seeds:

• plantain;
• clover;
• dandelion.

Will not give up grated apple and carrots and fresh grass. In captivity, siskins very quickly get used to any favorite type of seed. It is necessary to trace this bird's predilection and delight your pet with treats as often as possible. But the diet should be varied... With good care, these birds live well at home for up to 10 years, while maintaining mobility.

"Of all the cages occupied by indoor songbirds, probably nine-tenths, if not more, will fall on the siskin", - so writes Professor DN Kaigorodov in his famous book, which he called "From the kingdom of birds." This is, of course, very exaggerated. In any case, many siskins are caught with traps and in various simple ways, and in captivity they are more numerous than all other birds.

Why is the green bird with a black hat so attracted to lovers? First of all, keeping her in captivity is a relatively simple matter: she puts up with a small cage and lives excellently in the company of other birds in a common cage or aviary. Catching a siskin is almost easier than any other bird. His song is good, and he is an extremely zealous singer: another siskin sings for 10 months a year. Finally, by its nature, this is a cute, wonderful bird, which unusually quickly gets used to a person and becomes completely tame.

The song of the siskin is very simple, but he sings it with such enthusiasm, and it sounds so funny that it is not at all uncommon to meet him in a cage among the most whimsical fans of bird singing. The song begins with "tulle" (tulle-tulle), then there is a long and varied chirping in high tones. And, finally, the hoarse "chrrrr" - "goat" in the language of the poultry houses. Some siskins imitate the song of other birds quite well.

The caught siskin already in half an hour begins to calmly peel the hemp, in a day, does not get scared if you approach it, and after a week it keeps as if it was born in a cage. He usually starts singing in 2-3 days, if caught by the spring.

Siskin is a public bird. He lives excellently in a common aviary: he does not attack other birds, but he does not give himself offense either. Only occasionally there are siskins of a violent disposition, which, angrily opening their beak, do not allow not only to feed, but also to sit nearby on a perch for another bird. In the common aviary, the siskin often sings its own song. Usually birds sing a lot only in a separate cage, in the company of others they are silent. The presence of other birds of the same species in the neighborhood, including females, does not interfere in the least. As in nature, several birds usually keep in a small flock. In a word, for common aviary siskin is an excellent bird. Siskins love to swim more than their other relatives.

These birds are very unpretentious in the choice of food. Cannabis, from which many birds die quickly, is less harmful to the siskin. He willingly eats seeds of flax, rapeseed, colza, millet, poppy, birch, alder, and quinoa. You can also give him a nightingale mixture with a reduced number of ant eggs. Eats lettuce, woodlice, tradescantia and the green part of other plants very well.

One siskin chose only hemp from the grain mixture. They stopped giving him the mixture and replaced it with pure hemp. True, the siskin, in addition, received a lot of fruits: apples, watermelons, oranges. From other feeds, he relatively willingly ate crushed kernels. walnut and he loved to fiddle with the spruce needles in his beak so that he completely macerated it. If there were no needles, the siskin was content with even a semi-dry thin spruce twig. Spruce needles are very fond of all siskins. Apparently, this is a vitamin feed. I gave my siskins and tap dancers on occasion birch branches with earrings. The birds were instantly taken for her. This moment is very convenient for photographing birds, and it is interesting to see how cleverly they cope with the smallest seeds, how they are suspended, swinging on the thinnest branches.

The chizhi that lived with me, or which the people who kept them told me about, always differed in certain properties of "character." There were no two birds that were completely alike in behavior and habits.

One siskin was acquired by a sitter (i.e., one who had lived for a long time in captivity). He was not afraid of people, but in the morning all he did was try to push the wire rods apart with his head and get out of the cage. His persistence was so unpleasant that he had to get rid of him. But such a character in a siskin is an exception. He is usually mobile, cheerful and trusting. Let him out into the room - he returns to his cage for the night. Another siskin was a darling of the family and lived without a cage, flying all over the apartment. He had a passion: hearing a knock sewing machine, he flew towards her, sat on the spinning reel and began to spin with her quickly, quickly. The bird liked this rolling on a reel so much that it became impossible to sew with it on the machine: the siskin never wanted to leave his carousel.

The siskin's other passion was less harmless: he was a drunkard. If a siskin saw a bottle of wine on the table, it began to circle around it. As soon as the wine was poured into the glasses, he sat down on one of them and began to sip the wine. Siskin was driven away, fearing for his health, and he persistently climbed to the wine. It happened to him without harm to himself to drink and fairly strong drinks. It happens that siskins breed in captivity. They also give crossbreeds with canaries. Sometimes a couple tries to make a nest on indoor flower if the birds fly freely around the room. Siskins, planted in a large cage - a cage, most willingly begin to nest if you put it inside spruce branch... The free end of the spruce paw must be bent and placed in water so that the needles do not crumble for as long as possible. It is even better to plant a small Christmas tree near the garden in a bowl or in a basin (they are more convenient flower pot, since the roots of the tree are spread widely, but at the very surface of the soil). The best branch of the tree is passed inside the cage, and the top and most of the other branches are cut off. The tree is watered and it lives for weeks. The material for the nest is given to the cage: blades of grass, cotton wool, tow, the thinnest semi-dry spruce twigs, etc.

Catching a siskin is easier than any other bird. He can be caught well with any tackle.

Siskins are best trapped with hemp. If, under the birch, where they feed, you throw more seeds of this tree on the snow, the birds willingly go down even without any additional birds and fall under the net.

Having a supplementary siskin, you can catch a lot of birds. A flock, and in winter there are rarely less than fifty siskins in it, from afar turns off the path and sits on a tree near a siskin. Almost immediately, the birds begin to descend to the net. Any place where there is birch or alder. The seeds of both of these trees are the main food for siskins in winter. Alder is preferable for fishing. They are lower, and birds from above have a better view of food at point 3. The main thing is that these trees usually grow in a narrow strip along a river or stream and represent, as it were, a road along which flocks of feeding siskins move. Fishing time - during the entire snow period. It is very successful in late autumn, when the siskins move south, and especially in early spring, in March, when they sometimes fly back to the north in thousands of flocks.