Secretive bird rarely seen – avdotka – has a protective plumage color and lives mainly in Eurasia and North Africa. The migratory bird prefers to be in savannahs, semi-deserts, rocky and sandy areas in which there is a minimum amount of vegetation and desert hilly areas. Since the number of the animal is insignificant, the Avdotka is listed in the Red Book. Migratory bird belongs to the Avdotkovye family.
Description
An extremely interesting and rare representative of birds grows up to 45 cm in length, of which 25 cm is the tail. Avdotki have long legs, thanks to which they run fast, a sandy-gray back color with unique black stripes, which allows them to camouflage in dry grass. Avdotka have a massive but short beak, strong paws, a large head and large yellow eyes. During the flight, you can distinguish the unique black and white pattern on the bird’s wings. There is no sexual dimorphism in animals.
There are several most common types of Avdotka: Indian, water, Cape, Australian, Peruvian and Senegalese. Some of the species of birds have disappeared from the face of the Earth forever.
Lifestyle
Avdotki prefer to live alone. Birds are distinguished by caution and distrust both in relation to their relatives and to other animals. In order for the avdotka to understand how to behave with this or that individual, she carefully looks at «interlocutor» and observes his habits and manners for a while.
During daylight hours, the bird lies motionless almost all the time, so it is unrealistic to see it. It is believed that the avdotka is able to notice the danger much earlier than someone discovers it. During a fright, the bird seems to shrink into the ground and camouflage itself so skillfully among the grass that, even passing by, no one notices it. As a fallback, the Avdotka always has the opportunity to run away. Animals run very fast, although they have a wingspan of 80 cm and can easily fly away.
Birds behave differently at night. They fly quickly and sharply, rise to a great distance from the surface of the earth and scream loudly. Avdotka is able to navigate in the darkest places and is a night hunter.
Food
In the diet of birds, insects and worms are always present. In addition, Avdotka can eat a lizard or a mouse, a frog or a medium-sized animal. During the hunt, the birds scream loudly, which scares some of the victims and the latter start to run. After detecting prey, the mosquito attacks. She kills the victim with a blow of her beak and intensively crushes her on the stones, breaking the bones.
Avdotka in the nest
reproduction
Avdotki build nests directly on the soil and do not think much about the safety and security of their homes. Some individuals do not bother at all and lay their eggs in deep holes.
Females lay 2-3 eggs, which diligently incubate for 26 days, while males protect the nest from «uninvited» guests. The size of the eggs can be very different, as for the color, it has a brownish-gray tint with speckles. The chicks that were born are quite independent. As soon as they are completely dry, the babies follow their parents, leaving their native nest.
During the first weeks of life, both parents raise the chicks and teach them to disguise themselves, get food.
Unfortunately, the number of avdotok is significantly reduced every year. It is all to blame for the change in the state of the environment, the destruction of masonry in the process of agricultural activities, the use of pesticides.
