1. Bearded reedling- Panurus biarmicus
The bearded reedling is a small bird with a body length of 12-13 cm and a weight of 10-12 g. I an adult plumage of the upper body is gray-green, the bottom of the body is white, there is a characteristic black pattern on the chest. The head is rounded, with a long, thin beak. On the head of a male bearded reedling there is a characteristic long, black mustache.
The bearded reedling is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
A bearded reedling is a settled bird. It lives in reed thickets on the banks of reservoirs. A bearded reedling nests in the reed, builds a nest of reed stalks and leaves. There are 4-7 eggs in the clutch of a bearded reedling. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 12-14 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The mustache tit feeds on insects, their larvae and other small invertebrates. The bearded reedling is looking for prey in reed thickets, flying from branch to branch.
The bearded reedling is a fairly common species and is not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko