2. Station: Nest village
Most of our nesting birds choose the “B” type breeding nest. It can be occupied by the wood tit, the ringed flycatcher, the neck curler, but field and house sparrows are also happy to move in. In addition to the breeding and chick rearing period, the artificial nests also serve our resident birds well in the winter – up to 20 small birds can crowd into one nest to keep each other warm during the long and frosty nights.
Coal tit (Parus major) Our most common and largest tit species, some males can even have a body weight of 20-22 grams. They are a good friend of gardeners and orchard farmers, it feeds on caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers, centipedes, flies and other insects from spring to autumn, only in winter it switches to eating berries and seeds out of necessity. It spawns twice a year, laying an average of 8-10 eggs in one nest. It is a protected species in Hungary.
Horned flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) The horned flycatcher got its name from the snow-white collar that adorns the nape of the male specimens, which stands out from the black plumage on the head and back, while the name flycatcher refers to its prey acquisition strategy. It suddenly springs from its waiting position and catches its prey on the fly, but it also happens that it disturbs the insects hiding in the cracks of the tree bark with its wing beats, and the insects that fly up in this way become easy prey. It lays once a year and has 4-6 turquoise eggs. It is a migratory bird, protected in Hungary.
Nuthatch (Muscardinus avellanarius) and great pele (glis glis) Breeding burrows are also occupied by other species. It happens that horse wasps build a nest in it, but our dear, protected rodents, the hazel and big pele, also like to choose it as a bedroom for their winter sleep.
Do you know? How long does dormice’s hibernation last?
Around October-November, they build themselves a dormice nest, into which they sleep and wake up sometime in April. During their long sleep, they try to save as much energy as possible. Their breathing and heartbeat slow down, 8-10 minutes can pass between each breath, and their heart beats only 6-12 times per minute.
