Its Russian name comes from the obsolete verb, which means to ‘glow’, on account of the bird’s beautiful multi-colored wings and lively disposition. It is also simply called jay.

 
In a forest, the Eurasian jay truly plays the role of a guard as it warns its neighbors about the presence of any strangers or interlopers by crying out sharply and flying from one branch to another noisily.

 
It is an easily frightened and risk-averse bird that on sensing danger, immediately takes flight from its comfortable perch. Hence, one can most often only catch a glimpse of it. Its distinguishing characteristics include a uniformly colored beige body with a light stomach and a flecked crown on its head, which becomes erect whenever the bird senses danger. The feathers of its wings are black and white (such patches are referred to as specula), as well as electric blue with fine black stripes. The length of the Eurasian jay’s body plus its tail is approximately 35-40 centimeters, and yet, owing to its broad wing span, the bird looks significantly bigger during flight.

 
It has a sturdy rounded beak, sharpened at the end for splitting nut shells and acorns. Both female and male birds have similarly colored plumage. As the Eurasian jay reaches sexual maturity, its iris gradually changes color from brown to light blue. The bird, on average, weighs approximately 150 to 200 grams.

 
Eurasian jays inhabit not only forests and large suburban parks but also towns and cities, especially during warmer seasons.

Typically, their nests are located on a side branch, 1.5 to 5 meters above the ground. The diameter of the nest, which is built out of thin branches, is 21—30 centimeters. Its inner walls are lined with dry stalks of grass-like plants. The floor is covered with supple roots, blades of grass and fur. Sometimes, such nests are built inside tree hollows.

The Eurasian jay lays 5-7 greenish eggs (28 to 33 mm in length) with chestnut grey spots in April through June. Both partners take turns sitting on the eggs, which hatch in a little over two weeks. The parents then feed their offspring for 20 days. At the end of this period, typically in June, the fledglings are ready to leave their homes. The partners continue feeding their chicks for 12 to 14 more days.

 
The greyhen is not as beautiful or brightly colored as the male black grouse. Its plumage is either beige or brown, with traces of light and dark lengthwise stripes on its feathers. The female bird of this species has small speculums, i.e. patches of white feathers, on its wings and under its tail. Its legs and chest also have white feathers on them. 

 
Greyhens can reach lengths of approximately 50 centimeters. They weigh no more than one kilogram. The sounds this bird produces resemble clucking noises made by a normal hen. Greyhens are often mistaken for female Eurasian capercaillie because of their similar plumage and size. These birds can easily hide from hunters on account of their nondescript appearance. When pursued by enemies, they usually hide in the grass where it is difficult to spot them. 

Eurasian black grouse prefer to live in flocks. It is especially important for them to stick together in winter. During the cold season, the female rarely leaves her partner’s side. 

Once the birds have mated, the male does not help to take care of the offspring. The greyhen is also solely responsible for building its nest, the partner does not participate in this process in any way. 

The female black grouse arranges its own abode and incubates the eggs. It builds the nest right on the ground in thick grass or nettle patches. Essentially, its abode is a fairly small hole in the ground, where the greyhen puts branches, grass, leaves and feathers. The female black grouse lays approximately ten to twelve eggs, and incubates them for twenty five days. 

 
Hatchlings grow and develop very quickly. Several hours after the chicks come into this world, they can already leave their nest together with their mother. These young birds have an animal-based diet, which includes various larvae, small insects and caterpillars. Their mother looks after them for around ten more days (after they hatch) by protecting them from predators and other dangers. A month later, these youngsters are able to fly really well.

 
Grey partridges fly rarely and only when they are in danger. Their strong legs with well-developed muscles help these birds quickly run away from predators. And dense bushes where they nest make them invisible to humans. Grey partridges are not migratory birds, they do not travel elsewhere for the winter. They reproduce and spend their winters in the same territory. They can travel moderate distances in search of food.

 
These birds primarily feed on seeds of weeds. Their diets can also include grains and tree buds. In the first half of summer, grey partridges eat worms, insects and snails.

 
Males are larger than females, and the former have a more colorful plumage than the latter. During the courtship season, which starts as early as March, the male partners with only one female. In fact, it remains loyal to its partner during the entire nesting period and takes an active part in caring for their offspring, which is an uncharacteristic trait for other types of hens. At times, the male replaces its partner in their nest. Male grey partridges are not cocky, hence fights among them are a rare sight. 

 
These birds build their nests in fields of cereals, among weeds or dense grass, and in places that are rarely visited by humans. The female lays from 15 to 25 eggs, and incubates them for 25 days. The male helps its partner by guarding the clutch and drawing the attention of predators away. It also gathers the offspring together and provides warmth for them. Males often die during this period because they sacrifice their lives for the sake of their progeny. The young birds eat without their parents’ help. They move around with their family in search of food as one flock. In autumn, grey partridges form flocks consisting of 15 to 30 birds. These groups spend winters together until spring arrives.