Scientific name:
Circinae

Natural spread:
Europe

co 9-11 types forms the type Circus the largest group of these gripping-birds. To her is fitting also the 48-56 cm long tube-consecration (Circus aeruginosus) native - among other things - in Europe as brood-birds as a biggest representative, that 43-55 cm long grain-consecration (C). cyaneus, that 41-46 cm long meadow-consecration (C). pygargus, and finally (only in south, southeast, and Eastern Europe as brood-bird represents) the 43-48 cm long steppe-consecration (C). macrourus. In the Asian area, its brood-area is enough as far as to the Baikalsee and after Turkestan. The tube-consecration is spread over North-Africa, Europe (without British islands) and Asia (Near east until Sachalin and Korea) as well as on the islands New Guinea, Réunion, Madagascar and the Comoros as brood-bird. The grain-consecration broods in North America - Asia and Europe, while the Brutareal of the meadow-consecration of Morocco's north to Europe as far as into the southern and middle Siberia and into the North-Iran is enough. To the winter, consecrations of the restrained areas move into tropical winter-quarters southwards.

The stock of tube is in Europe, grain, and meadow-consecrations stärkstens endangers, since through shooting down of the brood-birds, Eierraub and particularly through the constantly progressing concern of the brood-biotopes through the human being and through Trockenlegung of moist-areas of always less broods successfully proceeds. All 3 Weihenrarten, that with us all on the red list stands, earns absolutely total protection as well as the conservation and restoration of suitable brood-areas in order to survive as type.

Characteristics Typical marks of the consecrations are the slim flight-picture, the long runs and the almost owl-similar face-veil from especially specialized feathers of the head-sides. With exception of the tube-consecrations, where only parts of the wings and the tail-frills are blue-gray with the male, male consecrations clearly take off from the brown and bigger females in the old-age-dress through its almost uniformly light-gray plumage (the Handschwingen always are dark). Also the swinging flight with upward bent wings is a good recognition-characteristic for consecrations. Consecrations glide densely over fields, Röhrichtdickichten, grass-surfaces and wetlands on the search of loot - small mammals and birds (particularly their eggs and chicks) as well as occasionally reptiles and also insects - in the typically swinging flight there and surprise its loot-animals under exploitation of all existing cover-possibilities.

Brood With exception of the stain-consecration (Circus assimilis); All consecrations position Australia, Timor and Celebes, ground-nests, that are built (the female often takes over the bigger share) by both partners together. From several nest-installations, the female finally selects the final eyrie; the others serve as silence and Kröpfplätze (to dividing the food) as well as often also the mating.

The nest usually consists of 3-6 eggs, that usually according to type for 27-39 days, from the 1. It becomes egg at, however from the female of erbrütet while the male brood-partner here-manages the food. With the slip, young consecrations carry already a white or reddish-brown Dunenkleid, that soon it against a 2. replace denser and usually darker Dunengefieder. In the first days hudert and feeds ("atzt") the female alone the boys, of which the smallest often dies and is fed as well. Later hunt

both alto-birds and rears the offspring.

After approximately 35-40 days, young consecrations become fully-fledged, stays together with the parents in eyrie-proximity even further 2-3 weeks, however. They reach the sexually mature in the 2. (mainly females, until 3. Year of life. The oldest known ring-birds became over 7 years (meadow-consecration), 13 years (grain-consecration) and over 16 years old (tube-consecration).