Bohemian waxwings move through the air quite quickly and their flight paths are direct. Adults, on average, reach up to 20 centimeters in length and weigh approximately 60 grams. Another distinguishing characteristic of this bird is the fairly noticeable tuft of feathers on the crown of its head. The common waxwing’s tail, neck and area around the eyes are black. The ends of its wings’ secondary lift feathers are varied shades of bright red in color and are especially noticeable from a short distance. The edge of the tail is bright yellow. 

 
The gaze of the pygmy owl’s enormous unmoving eyes is truly impressive. In order to look sideways, these birds have to turn their heads. Their irises can be deep or light yellow as well as golden depending on the sub-type. Large round pupils framed by such bright colors stand out in contrast to the bird’s feathers. Its gaze looks stern on account of the protrusions above the eyes that resemble eyebrows. Therefore, it is not surprising that a person who appears to be frowning is quite often asked in Russian “Why are you looking at me like a pygmy owl?”. 

Their black claws, which can be referred to as weapons of these avian predators, are long and sharp.
One can come across Eurasian pygmy owls in woodlands as well as mountainous areas and plains. These birds can live alongside humans. Typically, they build their nests in tree hollows but decrepit or old abandoned buildings as well as wall cavities can also serve as their homes. 

 
The Eurasian pygmy owl is, first and foremost, a predator. Hence, it has an animal-based diet consisting of voles, bats, dipodids, hamsters, insects and earthworms. When hunting large prey, these birds pair up and cooperate with one another. These species prefer eating small birds and rodents. Eurasian pygmy owls do not swallow their prey whole, instead they carefully strip off its fur or feathers and eat the best parts. They store their autumn stocks in tree hollows. 

 
The birds are active at night. Pygmy owls are exceptionally good at blending into their surroundings, it is often much easier to hear them rather than see them. Their calls at night can sound quite frightening. 

On account of their hunting methods and a tendency to store food, Eurasian pygmy owls can be described as very intelligent, practical and prudent birds. They live for around 15 years. People prefer to keep Eurasian pygmy owls rather than their bigger relatives at home because the former are smaller in size and easier to take care of.

At the start of the incubation period, females are very sensitive to noise and leave their nests hastily. Before their eggs hatch, they persevere harder and remain in place in spite of danger cowering in their nests, which are normally hidden under lower branches of young trees. Practically all the eggs hatch at the same time. Afterwards, the female and its offspring leave their nest where they would otherwise be more vulnerable. Upon hatching, the baby birds are covered in their entirety with downy feathers. They cannot maintain their body temperatures, which is 41° C, on their won. Hence, on cold and rainy days, their mother keeps them warm all night long. The youngsters search for food themselves and typically hunt insects. They grow quickly, and most of the calories they consume are used to build up muscle mass. At the age of 3 to 4 weeks, the fledglings go on their first short flights. Afterwards, they begin sleeping in trees. In the first weeks of their lives, these young birds depend on food rich in protein. Hence, they primarily hunt insects and spiders during this period. The weather has a significant impact on the number of insects available. Dry and warm conditions encourage the baby birds to grow quickly, while cold and rainy weather results in a high death rate among them.

 
Most grey partridges in the wild do not migrate to warmer regions annually for the winter and remain in their usual habitats. In search of food, they dig tunnels in the snow, which can reach up to 50 meters in length. When it is particularly cold, they gather in groups in them in order to keep each other warm. Adult grey partridges have a primarily plant-based diet consisting of grass, plant seeds and berries. Their growing offspring, however, are fed only insects, worms, various larvae and spiders. As they increase in size, these young birds switch to a diet similar to that of adults. Grey partridges often partner for life. 

 
Both parents take equal responsibility for feeding and protecting their offspring. The female lays 15 to 25 eggs in one go once a year, at the very beginning of May. Grey partridges build their nests right on the ground and hide them in grass, under bushes or trees. During the incubation period, which lasts approximately 23 days, the female rarely leaves her clutch even to eat. In its absence, the male remains near the nest carefully monitoring the surroundings. The baby birds hatch practically simultaneously and immediately afterwards, they are ready to follow their parents around the territory they inhabit, venturing several hundred meters away from their home. These hatchlings already have feathers on their bodies. They can also see and hear well, and learn fast. Grey partridges are sociable birds that are constantly interacting with one another. There are approximately 25 to 30 of these birds in a flock. If one of the parents dies, the other assumes full responsibility for the well-being of their young. If both partners die, the youngsters are then taken care of by other partridge families living nearby. 

 
The species are found in all the biogeographical regions of the world with the exception of the Antarctic. Common starlings are migratory birds. From northern and eastern parts they migrate, for the winter, to western and southern Europe; Africa, north of the Sahara Desert, e.g Egypt; northern Arabian Peninsula and Iran, as well as the plains of northern India. Common starlings build their nests in natural and artificial cavities of trees and buildings. They are more aggressive than other birds and can kill a rival in order to gain access to a nesting spot. These birds build their nests out of grass, branches and moss, and line them with fresh leaves. The latter have antibiotic and antifungal properties, thus common starlings periodically replace them. 

 
The red squirrel has a round head with dark-colored eyes that resemble beads, as well as long ears adorned with tufts, which point upwards. 

 
It lives in trees. These animals search for trees with hollows that they subsequently make into their homes. Red squirrels then stuff them with lichen, grass and leaves. Their nests can be located at a height of 15 meters above ground among dense tree branches. They are spherical in shape and reach a diameter of 30 centimeters. 

Before winter starts, Eurasian red squirrels acquire a thicker coat. In summers, their fur is short, sparse and coarse. Just as many others furry creatures, this animal sheds its coat twice a year, while its tail molts only once annually. In spring, the shedding starts with its head and in autumn with the tail. 

 
Red squirrels do not mark their territory, hence several animals can live in the same space. They spend most of their time up in the trees and are especially active in the mornings and evenings. During these hours, Eurasian red squirrels are busy searching for food. If a threat arises, they hide in the crowns of trees. These animals jump from one branch to another with ease. They can cover up to 4 meters when jumping between two spots located at a similar height or up to 15 meters when traveling along a downward arc. Their tails help them navigate. In winter time, red squirrels most often use trees to move around. However, during the breeding season and also in the absence of snow, they can travel on the ground with their long hops. 

Whenever it gets extremely cold or during powerful blizzards with lots of snow, Eurasian red squirrels remain in their shelters and leave them only if they are very hungry. 

 
In August through September, young squirrels move away from their homes in large numbers. They leave their nests and travel from 70 to 300 kilometers away. In the wild, only 10% of these animals live to reach the age of 4. In captivity, lifespans of these rodents increase to at least 10 years.