The word and its meaning. Birds of prey

The serpent eagle is a true hunter of snakes. “Blue-footed karachun” is one of the oldest names for a feathered predator, which zoologists gave it a hundred years ago. The eagle received this nickname for the unusual coloring of its legs.

Its generic Latin name - “chubby” - is associated with a large and rounded head, unusual for a predator. The English name sounds like “short-fingered eagle.” But this is not entirely true, although the bird's fingers are slightly shorter than those of other eagles.

Its most important feature is its amazing commitment to hunting snakes, which is why in many European languages ​​this eagle is called the “snake eater.”

External signs of the snake eagle

The snake eagle is a large feathered predator. Body length 62-67 cm, wingspan 180-190 cm, weight about 2 kg.

Females are slightly larger than males. The snake eagle is called an eagle, but there is very little eagle-like in its appearance. In appearance, it resembles a harrier. The large, owl-like head distinguishes the short-tailed snake eagle from small honey beetles and buzzards. The upper body is covered with grayish-brown plumage, the underparts are white with sparse dark streaks. The crop and throat are dark, a brown stripe on the chest is clearly visible, the tail and wings also have transverse stripes. There are dark-colored birds with abundant streaks below and a completely dark chest and head.

The female and male do not differ from each other in plumage color. Birds have huge, bright yellow, expressive eyes. The paws are bluish-gray, equipped with sharp, curved black claws. The beak is gray-brown.

Distribution and nesting of snake eagles

The snake eagle's habitat area is quite extensive: Central, Southern and Western Europe, the south of the European part of Russia, southwestern Siberia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Iran, the Middle East, Northern India, the northern part of Mongolia. However, in our forests the snake eagle is the rarest bird of prey.

Breeding migratory and transit migratory species. Winters in Africa, as well as in southern and southwestern Asia.

Habitats of the snake eagle

The common snake eagle inhabits dry areas in the south, and forests in the north, but always with individual trees. The feathered predator lives among sphagnum pine forests in raised bogs and depleted peat bogs. His hunting grounds also include dry wastelands overgrown with bushes, reclaimed agricultural lands among broad-leaved or mixed forests, dry and swampy burnt areas and clearings, and floodplains of large rivers. Birds often hunt near populated areas, but do not build nests in these places, apparently due to the presence of humans.

Nesting of snake eagles

Paired flights over nesting areas and mating in birds of prey occur in early to mid-April. For nesting, birds choose forest areas remote from human habitation with swamps and clearings suitable for hunting. The snake eagle builds nests with a diameter of 70-136 cm on separate trees or on trees in forest edges at a height of 6-17 meters. Very rarely nests on rocks.

The snake-eater's nest is small, no larger than that of a buzzard, consists of dry, randomly scattered dry branches, careless and loose. The tray is small, 13-21 cm deep, 35-50 cm in diameter.

The brooding bird has its tail and head sticking out. The lining of the tray is simple - green branches of birch, pine, spruce, and snake scales. Egg laying occurs in mid-April - early May. There is usually 1 egg in the nest, less often there are two. The shell of eggs is white with a slight cream or greenish tint. The size of the eggs is about 7.39x5.75 cm. The female incubates for 45-47 days. Chicks appear in early May - mid-June. Adult birds feed them, tearing their prey into pieces.

Grown-up chicks are capable of swallowing snakes whole, even if the prey is large. They easily swallow snakes that are larger than them in mass. At the end of July - beginning of August, young eagles leave the nest. Snake eaters constantly nest in one place, and the nest serves the birds for several years.

Diet of the snake eagle

The snake eagle is a highly specialized feathered predator. Its diet is dominated by snakes and lizards, although it will also catch frogs and also eat snails. It catches vipers, grass snakes and copperheads. The predator tears off the head of the snake, then partially swallows it from the front end and, holding it in its beak, delivers the prey to the nest. Over the summer, the eagle family destroys from 800 to 1000 snakes.

One of the birds had seven snakes in its stomach, and the other had 10 sand lizards and one viper. When there is a shortage of reptiles, snake eaters prey on mouse-like rodents, toads, frogs, doves, and thrushes.

Sometimes snake eaters eat moles and hedgehogs. Like all eagles, the snake eagle looks for prey while soaring in the air, but sometimes it looks for snakes while walking on land or in shallow water. In these places you can actually see traces of a feathered predator. Its paw prints are easy to recognize; they are larger in size than those of buzzards and similar to the paw prints of medium-sized eagles.

Reasons for the decrease in the number of snake eaters

One of the main reasons should be considered the decrease in places where snakes are found - the main food of the feathered predator. The number of rare birds is also decreasing as a result of the development of raised bogs during peat extraction. In addition, fires in raised and transitional swamps, shooting by poachers, human disturbance of birds during nesting, and the predatory behavior of raven and white-tailed eagle have a negative impact.

Conservation of the Serpent Eagle

The snake eagle is included in Appendix II of the Berne Convention, Appendix I of the EU Directive for the Protection of Rare Birds, Appendix II of the Bonn Convention, classified as SPEC 3. The unique eagle is included in the Red Books of Belarus, Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine. To restore the population of the rare species, it is necessary to create a network of reserves in places with the maximum density of snake eagle nesting, and to build artificial nests in swamps where trees have been cut down along the outskirts. Special control is needed in case of fires in swamps and widespread promotion of the protection of rare birds among the population.

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The snake eagle is often called an eagle, but in appearance these birds bear little resemblance. The snake eagle is a large predator with a body length of about 70 cm, a wingspan of 170 to 190 cm, and the weight of adult individuals reaches 2 kg. Females, as a rule, are slightly larger in size than males, but do not differ from the latter in plumage color. The snake eagle's back is gray-brown in color. The throat is brown. The belly is white with numerous dark streaks. Dark stripes are visible along the wings and tail. Juveniles are darker in color than adult birds.

The diet of snake eaters is highly specialized. The bird's diet is limited to vipers, grass snakes, copperheads and snakes, as well as other species of snakes, which is how the species got its name. Occasionally, the snake eagle can eat lizards.

In winter, snakes are in a state of suspended animation and do not move. Therefore, the snake eagle begins to hunt in late spring, when the ground warms up and the snakes begin to crawl out. Most often, the predator hunts from noon until nightfall, that is, during the period when snakes are most active.

The snake eagle is known as the “king of flights”: in search of prey, the bird spends a lot of time in the air. Since the species has excellent eyesight, birds notice their victims at high altitudes. Having noticed a snake, the snake eagle hovers in the air and then falls sharply down. During such an attack, the bird's speed reaches 100 km/h. Approaching the snake, the crachun grabs it by the head and finishes it off with its beak. Very often the bird and its prey engage in a fierce fight. Having swallowed the snake, the crachun flies away. Birds rarely chase snakes on the surface of the earth.

The most common prey of the snake eagle is the snake, but sometimes the predator also attacks poisonous snakes, for example, viper, viper or copperhead. Therefore, the bird always moves very clearly and quickly to avoid a fatal bite. The snake eagle is also protected by horny scutes on its legs and its speed of reaction. If, nevertheless, a snake happens to bite a bird, this does not always end in its death. But in such cases, the snake eagle begins to get sick and recovers very slowly.

Bird distribution

The habitat of snake eaters includes southeastern and eastern Europe, North Africa, as well as warm regions of Asia. Some species are common in India, Indonesia, and southern China.

Today, there is a widespread decline in the population of snake eaters. This is due to a decrease in the populations of snakes that birds feed on, their destruction by people, as well as a reduction in suitable habitats for them.

Crachuns usually live in wooded areas in the north, in dry forest-steppe in the south, and occasionally nest on the slopes of rocks. Birds settle in oak, linden, alder or pine forests. Nests are built high from the ground, and at a great distance from tree trunks to ensure free access.

Common species of snake eagle

The body length of the bird is from 67 to 72 cm, the wingspan is 160-190 cm. Females are larger in size than males, but are colored the same. The back is grayish-brown, the neck and belly are light. The head is round, the iris is bright yellow. The tail is decorated with 3-4 dark transverse stripes. Young birds are no different from adults.

The species is distributed in the south and center of Europe, northwest Africa, the Caucasus, Asia, Siberia, Mongolia, and as far south as Pakistan and India. Northern populations are migratory. The common snake eagle lives in mixed forests and forest-steppes.

Body length from 63 to 68 cm, wingspan up to 178 cm, weight from 1.2 to 2.3 kg. The head and chest are dark brown, almost black, the belly and the inside of the wings are light. The iris is bright yellow.

It lives in Africa from Ethiopia and Sudan south to Angola, in semi-arid and desert regions with solitary trees.

The wingspan is about 170 cm. The back, head and chest are gray-brown, the belly is light with small brown stripes. The iris is bright yellow. The paws are long and light gray.

The species' habitat is North Africa (Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Burkina Faso, southern Mali, northern Nigeria and Cameroon, southern Chad and Sudan). The bird lives in savannas, woodlands and cultural landscapes.

Brown snake eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

The largest snake eagle. Body length from 68 to 75 cm, wingspan up to 164 cm, weight from 1.5 to 2.5 kg. The top of the bird is dark brown, the wings are gray on the inside, the tail is brown with narrow transverse light stripes. The legs are long, pale gray, the iris is yellow, the beak is black. Young birds are slightly lighter in color.

The brown snake eagle is a resident of the arid regions of Africa (Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan, Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa), where the bird lives in wooded areas.

Body length is from 55 to 60 cm. The back and chest are dark brown, the head is gray-brown, there are white stripes on the tummy, the tail is long with three white stripes.

The species lives in eastern Africa (Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa). For life, the bird chooses subtropical and tropical moist dense forests.

Body length is from 50 to 58 cm, wingspan is 120-134 cm, weight up to 1.1 kg. The plumage is grayish-brown with white stripes on the belly and thighs. The tail is black with one transverse white stripe and a light tip. The beak is orange-yellow at the base, the iris and legs are yellow.

Its habitat includes African countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Angola and Zimbabwe. The bird lives in forests, on the edges, in savannas, often near rivers, at altitudes up to 2000 m above sea level.

A stocky bird with rounded wings and a short tail. Body length from 41 to 76 cm, weight from 420 to 1800 g, wingspan up to 155 cm. The plumage, depending on the region of habitat, is black, brown, ocher, gray; a black and white crest is developed on the head, which puffs up when excited . The belly is streaked with black and white. Wings and tail are striped. The iris, cere and paws are yellow, the beak is dark.

It lives in southeast Asia from the Himalayas in Nepal and northern India to Sri Lanka and southeast China and Vietnam. Sedentary appearance. Lives in tropical forests, savannas, near rivers and human habitation.

The body length is from 51 to 59 cm, the wingspan is 115-135 cm. The plumage is dark brown, the breast, abdomen and upper part of the wings are finely speckled with white, the face and paws are bright yellow. There is a comb on the head.

The species is found on the Andaman Islands of the Indian Ocean, located east of the Hindustan Peninsula. For life it chooses subtropical and tropical mangrove and humid forests at altitudes up to 700 m above sea level.

Inhabitant of the evergreen forests of Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal. Outwardly it resembles a crested snake eagle.

The bird's body length is from 51 to 56 cm. It differs from the crested snake eagle in its dark plumage.

It lives in the north of the island of Kalimantan in mountain tropical forests at altitudes from 1000 to 4000 m above sea level.

Externally similar to the crested snake eagle. Habitat: Indonesia, Sulawesi island, where the bird lives in subtropical and tropical rainforests.

The body length is from 47 to 53 cm, the wingspan is 105-120 cm. The plumage is dark brown, with gray cheeks and neck, the head is decorated with a black crest. There are numerous small white spots on the chest and belly. The iris, cere and paws are yellow, the beak is dark.

The species is found on all Philippine islands except Palawan. Lives in coastal and mountain forests, on forest edges, open meadows and plantations, at altitudes from 1500 to 2500 m above sea level.

The largest bird of prey in Madagascar with a body length of 57 to 66 cm, a weight of 0.9 to 1 kg, with a long tail and short wings. The head is decorated with a crest. The plumage is brownish-gray with dense transverse stripes and a striped belly. The back and wings on top are dark brown with red streaks, the inside of the wings and belly are white with brown stripes. The eyes are yellow. The beak is sharp, curved.

The species is found in tropical moist deciduous forests in the east of the island of Madagascar, at altitudes up to 550 m above sea level.

A medium-sized slender bird with rounded wings and tail. Body length from 54 to 60 cm, wingspan up to 106 cm. The plumage is dark brown, there is a black-brownish crest on the head, the breast, belly and thighs are white with dark spots, the undertail is white, the tail is light brown with black transverse stripes . Legs are yellow. Females are larger than males.

The species' habitat includes countries such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Uganda, Congo, Gabon. An isolated population lives in Northern Angola. The birds live in dense tropical forests at altitudes up to 900 m above sea level. Sedentary appearance.

Sexual dimorphism in snake eaters is manifested in the fact that the females of most species are larger in size than the males. The plumage color of females and males, as well as young individuals, is the same.

Migratory populations return to their breeding grounds in May. Darter eaters are monogamous birds. They build a new nest or use an old one.

The krachun's nest is small, flat, up to 95 cm in diameter, and up to 40 cm in height. It is difficult for an adult bird to fit in it. The snake eagle builds a nest from thin branches, lining the inside with green twigs, pine branches, grass, leaves, and scraps of snake skins. The greenery in the nest serves as additional camouflage and protects it from the sun.

The snake eagle is a very secretive and timid bird. When she sees a person, she immediately flies away from the nest. Even chicks hide when strangers approach and make no attempt to defend themselves.

Mating games consist of the female and the male chasing each other, flying up, circling in the air and dropping sharply to the ground.

Egg laying occurs at the end of May. Typically, the female lays two white eggs. But only one chick is born. The incubation period is from 40 to 45 days. The female incubates the eggs while the male feeds her.

The chick is born covered with white down. The parents feed it with snakes, which the chick pulls out of their throats. Then the chick swallows the snake, starting from the head. If the baby makes a mistake and starts eating the snake from the tail, the parents force him to spit it out and start over. In addition, parents often bring a still-living snake to the chick so that it can learn how to fight its future prey. In total, the male and female feed the chick up to 250 snakes.

At two months, young snake-eaters can already fly, and at the age of 80 days they leave the nest.

The lifespan of the snake eagle reaches 10 years.

Voice of the snake eagle

Krachun is a gloomy, silent bird; its quiet voice can only be heard during the nesting period.

• Snake eaters are a rare, endangered bird species; they are listed in the Red Book of Russia and Belarus.
• Snake eaters feed only on snakes; this phenomenon of highly specialized feeding is called stenophagy and is very rare among birds. During its entire life, the snake eagle eats up to 1000 snakes.

The serpent eagle (krachun) is also known by another name - the serpent eagle; it is a representative of a breed of birds of prey from the hawk family. The order to which it belongs is called Falconiformes, and the subfamily of this population of birds is called serpent eaters. In Latin, this bird has a different name, which, literally translated, sounds like “round-faced.” This is due to the fact that the bird is distinguished by the round shape of its large head, giving it a similarity to owls. The British christened the bird with its own name; they call it an eagle with short fingers, if translated literally. But in its external characteristics, the crachun is more reminiscent of a harrier than an eagle.

Personality characteristics of the bird

The snake eagle is often represented as an eagle, although its external resemblance to the famous individual is slight. It is a typical representative of large predators, whose length reaches 70 centimeters, their wingspan reaches 190 centimeters, and the weight of an adult hunter can reach up to 2 kilograms.

A characteristic feature of females is their size; they are usually larger than males, although the color of their plumage does not differ at all from males. On its back, the snake eagle wears a gray-brown tint of plumage, and its neck is colored brown. The bird's belly is white, speckled with dark spots. The bird's wings and tail are equipped with dark stripes. At a young age, crachuns are brighter in color and look darker than their adult relatives.

Predator diet

In their diet, snake eaters prefer to choose a narrow specialization. Their menu is quite limited; they eat mainly vipers and grass snakes, and also do not disdain copperheads or snakes. In general, they are distinguished by their passion for any representatives of reptiles, which is why they got their name. But if a lizard comes into the hunter’s field of vision, it will not go unnoticed either.

With the onset of winter, snakes, having chosen a secluded place, fall into suspended animation, spending the winter period in an immobilized state. This fact allows the kračun to open the hunting season in mid-spring. During this period, solar activity reaches its limit, when the soil warms up to a sufficient temperature for snakes to begin moving from their winter shelters.

A leisurely hunter begins his hunt at midday and continues to hunt for the rest of the daylight hours. This period of time coincides with the maximum activity of reptiles.

Witnesses of the snake-eater's skill in the sky call him the "king" of flights. In search of its prey, the crachun spends long periods of time in the air. This species of bird is characterized by its excellent vision, they are able to distinguish their prey from great heights.

Having discovered its target, the snake king falls like a stone, thus developing a speed of up to 100 kilometers per hour. Having reached its goal, the snake-eater grabs the prey behind the head with its claws and inflicts a fatal blow on it with its beak. It is not uncommon for him to fail to complete his attack instantly; in such cases, the victim may offer fierce resistance. The crachun prefers to swallow its prey whole; in rare cases, when the bird misses, it has to fly into the sky to continue the attack.

Most often, the victims of the predator are snakes, but if poisonous snakes are encountered, the crachun does not refuse such a treat. For him, both the viper and the copperhead or viper are of equal value. The bird is capable of performing lightning-fast actions, avoiding a retaliatory bite. In addition to his incomprehensible reactions, he is protected by corneal shields located on his legs. In a situation where the prey manages to inflict a poisonous bite on the hunter, the snake eagle can very rarely die from this. Although he endures such wounds painfully and is out of commission for a long time.

Predator habitats

The bird acquired its distribution in the eastern and also southeastern parts of the European continent. Can be found in the vastness of northern Africa, or in southern Asia. Subspecies of the snake eagle live in India, the southern regions of China, and also in Indonesia.

The population of snake eaters tends to decrease in number; this fact is directly related to the decrease in the population of reptiles, which form the basis of the predator’s diet. A significant share of the responsibility for the decline in the number of various reptiles lies with humans, who actively occupy spaces suitable for the habitat of these animals.

In the northern regions, crachuns prefer to choose forested areas for living; in the southern zones, they stop in forest-steppe territories; in rare cases, they have to build their nests on steep mountain slopes. Birds choose the tops of tall trees as the main place to locate their nests; it is convenient to start flying from this height.

The common snake eagle reaches a size of 72 centimeters, the width of its wingspan reaches 190 centimeters. The females of these birds are usually larger than the males, but they do not differ in color. Their back area is grayish-brown, while their neck and chest are light in color. The shape of the head has a round outline, the eyes are golden yellow. The tail of this bird has several stripes located across it. The coloration of young individuals does not differ in individual characteristics.

These predators can be found in the southern or central part of Europe, in the northwestern part of the African continent, as well as in some areas of the Caucasus or Mongolia. A large population of these birds is located in the vast expanses of Siberia; individual individuals can be found even in Pakistan or India. The common snake eagle leads a nomadic lifestyle associated with seasonal migrations. He prefers to live in forests of mixed character or forest-steppes.

Black-breasted snake eagle
The body length of this representative reaches 68 centimeters, the width of its wingspan is 178 centimeters, and the bird’s weight reaches 2.3 kilograms. The head of the bird, as well as its chest, wears dark brown or black plumage, and on the belly of this snake eagle and the inside of its wings there are light areas, the color of the eyes is determined by a golden yellow hue.

You can meet this predator in Africa, from the borders of Ethiopia, as well as Sudan to the northern reaches of Angola. Here it inhabits semi-arid areas of desert surfaces where single trees are found

Baudouin's snake eagle
The wingspan of this representative of the snake eagle reaches 170 centimeters. On its back, head, and chest there is gray-brown plumage. The bird's belly is light-colored, lined with small brown stripes. The bird's legs are elongated and gray in color.

These winged predators have chosen the vast expanses of northern Africa as their permanent habitat. They live in savannas or woodlands, preferring picturesque landscapes.

Brown snake eagle
This predator is the largest representative of its species, its body length reaches 75 centimeters, the width of its wingspan is 164 centimeters, and the bird’s weight can be 2.5 kilograms. The bird is dark brown on top, the inside of its wings is gray, and the tail is brown, with light stripes running across it. The legs of this bird are elongated, painted in a pale gray shade, the eyes are yellow, and its beak is black. Juveniles are distinguished by lighter tones of their plumage.

The brown snake eagle prefers the drier regions of Africa, where it inhabits wooded areas.

Southern striped crutch
The length of this bird reaches 60 centimeters. On the back and chest of the predator there is plumage colored dark brown; its head has a characteristic light brown tint. There are small white stripes across the belly, and its tail is of an elongated design and has several longitudinal white stripes.

Representatives of this species are located in the eastern part of the African continent, choosing for their settlements dense forests located in the tropical and subtropical zones, characterized by high humidity.

Video: Snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus or Circaetus ferox)

Exercise 28, p. 15

28. Read. Explain how you understood the meaning of each sentence.

Any language consists of words.
The Russian language is rich in words.

Every country has its own native language. It consists of words. The unit of communication is a sentence, and a sentence consists of words. The word is the basic unit of language. Any language is, first of all, a language of words.

Russian language is one of the richest languages ​​in the world. So about a true friend you can say: faithful, devoted, reliable, ready for fire and water.

• Tell me where I can find out how many words there are in the Russian language.

To find out how many words there are in the Russian language, you need to look at the Big Academic Dictionary of the Russian Language.

Exercise 29, p. 15

29. Read. What did you imagine when you read the words? Draw an illustration for any word.

• Did you and your classmates get the same or different drawings? Why?
• Make up and write down a sentence based on any drawing.

A beautiful flower grows in the meadow.
Strawberries are a delicious berry.
A new toy makes kids happy.

Exercise 30, p.16

30. Read. Divide the words into three groups depending on their meaning. Write them in the drawings. Find a common name for each group of words and write it down.

Ruff, saffron milk cap, pike, rose, aster, honey mushroom.

rose ruff saffron milk cap
Aster pike honey mushroom

Flowers . Fish . Mushrooms .

Exercise 31, p. 16

31. Read. Complete each group of words with other words.

Trees: birch, maple, oak, ash.
Bushes: currants, rose hips, blackberries, gooseberries.
Herbs: sorrel, nettle, mint, wormwood.

• Choose a common name for all these words.

Plants.

• Make up a sentence with any word. Write it down.

Thin birches stand golden, and the handsome maple is crimson.

Exercise 32, p. 17

32. Read. Place the missing punctuation marks at the end of the sentences.

Who you are?
- We chanterelles -
Friendly sisters.
Well, who are you?
- We chanterelles Same.
- How, with one paw?
- No, also with a hat.

A. Shibaev

• Explain the meaning of each of the highlighted words. Make up your own sentences using these words. Write them down.

In the first case, we mean chanterelle mushrooms, and in the second, animal foxes.

We collected chanterelles in a forest clearing.
Of all the animals in fairy tales, the most cunning are red foxes.

Exercise 33, p. 17

33. Read. Write the words in the boxes that correspond to their meanings.

1. Non-venomous snake
really

2. Migratory bird with black shiny plumage.
rook

3. The place where you were born and raised.
homeland

4. Tool for digging earth.
shovel

Exercise 34, p. 18

34. Read.

My h A you have gone ahead, -
Aunt said M asha.
- Oh, he ran away O l O ko! -
Aunt said G Runya.

A. Shibaev

• Explain the spelling of the highlighted letters.

H A sy (cha-sha is written with the letter a), M asha, G runya (people's names are written with a capital letter), m O l O ko (dictionary word).

• Underline ambiguous words. Make up a sentence using one of these words with a different meaning. Write it down.

Children went into the forest to pick mushrooms.

Exercise 35, p. 18

35. Look at the pictures. What ambiguous words do they illustrate? Make another drawing for any other ambiguous word and label it.

Pen Brush

Lightning

• Label each drawing. Make a proposal based on any drawing.

Lightning flashed in the sky.

Exercise 36, p. 19

36. Read. Explain the meaning of each phrase.

The name of this feathered predator suggests that the basis of its diet is snakes, although it also preys on lizards, some amphibians and small mammals. The snake eagle has many names. In almost all languages, his name means "snake eater." Only the British call this bird the “short-fingered eagle,” which is not entirely true. But the specific name is translated from Latin as “chubby,” which quite accurately characterizes the shape of the head of this bird.
The lifestyle of the snake eagle has not been studied in much detail, because they are not often found. Nevertheless, observations by ornithologists have revealed that these unusual representatives of accipitridae are not only stern, gloomy hunters. The female and male often play happily, frolicking and chasing each other. Snake eaters are not uncommonly timid birds. They always behave extremely secretly near the nest, flying away from it as soon as they see a person approaching. Even a grown-up chick never tries to defend itself with its beak or claws, as the chicks of other birds of prey do - it simply hides in the nest.
The snake eagle is a very rare endangered bird species, listed in the Red Book of Russia.

May worries

The snake eagle chooses wooded areas, as it builds its nests in trees high from the ground, and occasionally on rocky slopes. Birds living in the northern territories leave their inhabited areas in the fall, returning only in May. During this period, the bird couple equips an old nest or builds a new one. The dwelling is very small, so that an adult bird can barely fit in it. It consists of dry branches, lined with leaves, grass and scraps of snake skins. Birds insert branches with green leaves into the nest, which create additional camouflage and help hide the nest from sunlight.
Mating is preceded by mating games, when the birds, chasing each other, soar high and, having described several circles, sharply descend. At the end of spring, the female lays a single egg. Incubation lasts about 45-48 days. Basically, this is done by the female, and the male hunts, providing food for his girlfriend, and only sometimes they change roles for a while.

Childhood with snakes

The chick is covered with white downy feathers, gradually this outfit is replaced by plumage characteristic of adult birds. The parents take care of the chick until it leaves the nest, that is, 70-80 days after hatching. The male and female feed it with snakes, which they catch, swallow (but not completely) and bring to the nest. The chick gradually pulls the snake out, grabbing it by the tail. Having pulled out the prey from the parent's throat, the young snake eagle begins to swallow it itself.
The chick feeds exclusively on reptiles, and already in adulthood begins to eat other animals. Fully fledged and grown young birds independently go after prey. As a rule, their parents do not teach them how to hunt snakes; the chicks manage on their own, deftly capturing snakes with sharp claws and attacking them with their beaks.
It is very difficult for parents to feed even one chick, and this is one of the reasons for the low number of snake eaters.

Dangerous food

During the cold season, snakes fall into suspended animation and remain motionless in their shelter for a long time. Snake eaters begin to actively hunt only at the end of May, when the sun warms the ground well and snakes crawl out of their shelters. The daily routine of birds depends on the activity of snakes and weather conditions. Usually the hunt begins around noon and ends quite early, before it gets dark.

Narrow diet

Animals such as the snake eagle, with a highly specialized diet, are called stenophages. This phenomenon is typical for many insects, certain species of worms, crustaceans and mollusks and is much less common among mammals and birds.
The most famous stenophages are the koala bear, which feeds on eucalyptus leaves, and the giant panda, which eats young shoots of several types of bamboo.
On the one hand, stenophagy helps mitigate competition among species with similar nutritional regimes; on the other hand, when environmental conditions change, it leads to the threat of extinction or sharp fluctuations in population numbers.

Brief characteristics of the snake eagle

Class: birds
Squad: Falconiformes
Family: hawks
Genus: real snake eaters
View: snake eagle
Other names: serpent eagle, crachun
Latin name: Circaetus gallicus or Circaetus ferox
Size: body length - 67-72 cm, wing length - 50 cm, wingspan - 160-190 cm
Weight: 1.2-2.3 kg
Color: The top is brownish-gray with blurred streaks, the bottom is light with streaks, the head, neck and crop are brown, the tail is transversely brown striped.
Lifespan: about 17 years old.