Hummingbird is the smallest bird. Interesting Facts About Hummingbird Bee Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are amazing birds that live in tropical zone America. More than 330 species are known.
The smallest is the Cuban bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae). It is also the smallest bird in the world and the smallest warm-blooded animal on Earth. The male is only 5 cm long from beak to tail, weighs 1.6-1.9 grams, i.e. about the same as two paper clips. The females are slightly larger, but they appear tiny compared to some beetles and butterflies, e.g. the size of a bee.
The Bee Hummingbird is a very strong and fast creature. She flaps her wings at a speed of 80 times per second. The shiny and iridescent feathers of the bee hummingbird make it look like a tiny gem. However, its multi-colored color cannot always be seen; it depends on the angle at which a person looks at the bird.
In one day, the bee hummingbird manages to visit about 1,500 flowers!
Interestingly, bee hummingbirds build cup-shaped nests not exceeding 2.5 cm in diameter. They are made from spider webs, bark and lichens. And in this nest the hummingbird lays two pea-sized eggs.
The largest representative, the gigantic hummingbird, whose habitat covers some areas of the western part South America, can reach 19-22 cm in length and weigh 18-20 grams.
Most hummingbirds can be found in places where large, bright flowers of the tropics grow. These birds never sit on the ground: during the day they fly tirelessly, and at night they sleep, hanging upside down on branches.
Small, energetic and lightning-fast, the hummingbird is one of the most amazing creatures on earth. The hummingbird got its name from its ability to quickly flap its wings. Small species normally make 50-80 beats per second and up to 200 beats if a male is courting a female (from English ‘humming-bird’ - buzzing bird). The hummingbird's amazingly fast wing beats create an audible, characteristic "humming hum." Very often, hummingbirds are called natural helicopters, and this is due to the fact that they are capable of performing all the maneuvers that a helicopter performs: they can hover motionless in the air, take off and land vertically, and also fly in the opposite direction.
The hummingbird can perform incredible feats in the air. In order to collect nectar from flowers, her main food, she must have special skills. A hummingbird can fly close to a flower to penetrate it, hover motionless in the air until it collects enough nectar, and then fly back away from the flower to remove its beak. To accomplish all this, hummingbirds need special properties that can provide this type of flight to this bird.
The hummingbird's wing has a unique structure in which the upper elytra and forewings are small and rigid. The wings are composed almost entirely of feathers and muscles. The movement of a hummingbird's wing is closely related to its structure. Thanks to its ability to change the angle of its wing, it makes amazing movements that no other bird can do. And therefore, the flight of a hummingbird is different from the flight of any other bird. Most birds flap their wings up and down, but the hummingbird does not flap its wings up and down, but forward and back, which allows it to generate lift in both forward and backward flapping motions.
Many people think that hummingbirds feed exclusively on flower nectar, but in fact, the basis of the diet of most species is small arthropods, which they find in flowers or on the surface of leaves. Occasionally, birds manage to catch an insect flying or stuck in a web. A hummingbird can fly around up to 2 thousand flowers in a day. In 16 hours, they are able to drink up to 120 times more liquid (nectar) and eat twice as much food as their body weight.
Hummingbirds are very active birds, they live alone, constantly flying in search of food. They have a very fast metabolism and a night for them is equivalent to tens of days of life for a person. They cannot afford to spend such a long period of time without food, so when night comes, when the air cools, they fall into a stupor, in which their metabolism slows down significantly. During such “hibernation,” all life support processes are slowed down, and the birds’ body temperature drops sharply from 42°C to 17-21°C. As soon as the first rays of the sun hit the hummingbird’s body, it immediately warms up and comes to life.
Hummingbirds never land on the ground because... their legs are small and weak, absolutely unsuitable for walking.
This little bird's heart makes up approximately four percent of its total body weight. At rest, a hummingbird's heart usually beats at a rate of 500 beats per minute, and during physical activity (flight) 1200 beats per minute.
In all species of the hummingbird family, the shape of the tail and beak varies greatly. Their thin beak can be long, pointed-short or arched. The tail is usually short, cut, sometimes long, forked. The wings of miniature birds are sharp and long.
The hummingbird's plumage is small, distinguished by incredibly bright colors and iridescent shine. Feathers can vary greatly in shape and color between sexes. For example, females are duller in color than males. In addition, representatives of the stronger sex are characterized by bizarre shapes of head and tail feathers. Another one interesting feature The plumage of these birds has the property of refracting the incident light differently. For this reason, the shades of some parts of the body can change depending on the point of observation - as soon as the hummingbird turns in the other direction, the unremarkable greenish color begins to glow with purple fire.
Tropical hummingbird species breeding all year round, while the northern ones - only in summer. Males' concern for procreation is limited to mating and protecting the nesting territory, while the female is responsible for building the nest, incubating eggs and raising offspring. Most species make their nests on bushes and trees, some attach them to leaves and rocks using saliva. The finest blades of grass, plant fibers, moss, lichens, cobwebs and wool are used as building materials. Birds hang their nest from the ends of leaves or thin branches, bravely and fearlessly defending it, rushing even at larger birds.
Female hummingbirds most often lay two tiny white eggs, which incubate for 14-20 days. The chicks are born naked, weak and helpless. The female feeds the hatched babies with flower nectar, which she brings in her beak. They need to be fed very often, as from hunger they can become numb and weaken to such an extent that they cannot even open their beak. Returning to the nest, the parent hummingbird literally force-feeds the chick, after which it instantly “comes to life.” Thanks to this nutrition, babies develop very rapidly and leave their native nest within 20-25 days after birth.
The smallest bird on the planet is called the Bee Hummingbird. It belongs to the hummingbird family and is endemic to the island of Cuba. This bird is also found on the island of Juventud, which is located 50 km south of Cuba. This unique little girl lives nowhere else. The habitat is limited to forested areas and swamps of Salata (a peninsula in western Cuba). This bird was discovered and described for the first time in 1844 by naturalist Juan Gundlach. However, this description became known to the wider scientific community only 6 years later in 1850.
Description
The body length with tail and beak is 5-6 cm, weight is 1.6-1.9 g. This bird can easily be confused with a large bee. Externally, males and females differ somewhat, with males being smaller in size than females. Males have a bright red throat, top part the body is bluish, and the lower part is grayish-white. Females are bluish-green above, and the chest and belly are pale gray. White spots are observed at the tips of the tail feathers.
During the mating season, the heads of males become reddish-pink. Externally, the birds look round and stocky. IN sun rays The plumage of these little ones shimmers, and the bee hummingbird can be mistaken for a tiny jewel. The beak is thin, pointed and perfectly adapted for deep probing of flowers.
Reproduction and lifespan
These birds breed in March – June. After pairing, the female builds the nest. This takes her about 10 days. Construction material are pieces of cobwebs, pieces of bark, lichen. The nest is cup-shaped with a diameter of no more than 2.5 cm and is located at a height of 3-5 meters from the ground on a thin tree branch.
There are 2 eggs in the clutch with sizes ranging from 6 to 11 mm. The incubation period takes 3 weeks. The hatched chicks fledge in the 2nd week of life. They leave the nest and begin to fly at the age of 18-20 days. In the wild, the bee hummingbird lives up to 7 years. In captivity, the maximum lifespan is 10 years.
Behavior and nutrition
These feathered babies are extremely fast and nimble. They make 90 wing beats per second. They feed mainly on flower nectar and very rarely eat small insects. Having flown up to the flower, the baby hovers above it in the air and sucks out the nectar. Can feed at any altitude. But he collects the flower drink from only 15 plant species. Moreover, 10 of them grow only in Cuba. The little bird visits up to 1.5 thousand flowers per day. When feeding, pollen from flowers falls on the beak and head. As a result, hummingbird bees carry pollen and play important role in plant propagation.
Conservation status
The number of this species has decreased in recent decades. The reason is the reduction natural environment a habitat. Forests are being cut down, and this has a negative impact on small, beautiful birds. Previously, they lived throughout Cuba, but now they are forced to live only in separate areas isolated from each other. On this moment There is no program to preserve the unique population.
The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the whole world, living only in Cuba and nearby individual islands. This type The animal is so unusual that it amazes with all its properties.
Hummingbird bee is the smallest bird
Features of the Bee Hummingbird
Externally, the hummingbird bee differs from all other birds. Its body size is about five centimeters, making it more insect-like than bird-like. Average build, paws small size. Hummingbirds stay in the air twenty hours a day, so they do not need strong and strong paws. The male is significantly smaller than the female, and like many species of birds, they are endowed with a bright color, which distinguishes them from each other only during the period of courtship and a little after its completion. The color of the male is dominated by:
- back color green-blue;
- collar - red;
- the feathers on the sides are longer and shiny;
- the tail is short and round;
- after the end of the breeding season distinctive features Only the edging on the tail and body dimensions remain.
The hummingbird's courtship period is no less interesting. A group of males, which can consist of as many partners as desired, arranges a vocal competition and sings for their chosen one. Among the many gentlemen, the female chooses a partner. In one season, a male can fertilize many females, but she also comes into contact with several partners. The most sought after will be a male with a beautiful color and excellent trill.
Facts about hummingbirds indicate that the species lives in captivity for about ten years. While in wild conditions they live on average seven years. This is due to the fact that the hummingbird bee is a very small and easily accessible prey. According to scientists, the hummingbird is the smallest mammal.
The hummingbird bee stays in the air twenty hours a day
Breeding season
When the rainy season ends in their native area, hummingbirds begin their breeding season. Hummingbird bees live separately, but only at the time of reproduction they unite in pairs. When fertilization is complete, the female builds a nest and incubates the eggs on her own.
The mating process is carried out both on a branch and in the air.
Hummingbird bees do not live in groups or flocks, they all live separately. This is an individual trait of the species; they don’t even form pairs.
Having reached the age of three weeks, the cubs become independent and go to adult life. Reaching one year of age, the reproductive period begins.
The individual characteristics of the species are that they:
- They make a buzzing sound, which is where their name comes from.
- They fly at speeds of up to fifty kilometers per hour, flapping their wings up to two hundred times per second maximum.
- Their flight is invisible to the eye; a person can see something fuzzy moving in space.
- They pollinate up to one and a half thousand flowers per day, which is why they are ecologically important.
- They feed on pollen and eat a lot, several times their weight.
- Body temperature is up to forty degrees, but decreases in the evening.
- This is the most unusual bird, with data incomparable with more than one species on Earth.
The bee hummingbird or Cuban hummingbird is a unique representative of the order Hummingbirds.
Many people know that hummingbirds are the smallest birds that are skilled flyers, capable of hovering in place and flying to the side and even backwards. But not everyone knows that among these babies there are the smallest. And the smallest hummingbird is the bee hummingbird.
Description of the Bee Hummingbird
Male bee hummingbirds have very bright plumage during the breeding season, while females are traditionally duller in color. Moreover, the differences between opposite sexes observed in size - males are significantly smaller than females.
From the tip of the beak to the tail, the size of the bee hummingbird is 5-6 centimeters, and its weight does not exceed 1.6-1.9 grams.
Due to their small size, Cuban hummingbirds are often confused with moths, as these moths are also able to hover in front of a flower while feeding on nectar.
Habitat of tiny hummingbirds
These smallest birds in the world live only in Cuba; they are endemic to these places, which is why they are called Cuban hummingbirds.
Bee hummingbirds prefer dense coastal forests, gardens, swamps and valleys where their favorite plant, grandiflora solandra, grows.
The favorite woody vine of hummingbirds has large flowers containing large amounts of sweet, nutritious nectar.
Diet of hummingbird-bees
These crumbs feed on the nectar of a variety of fragrant flowers, shrubs, herbs and trees. One individual collects nectar from an average of 1,500 flowers per day. They prefer flowers with a high concentration of sucrose - at least 15-30%. That is why they love solandra most of all, which is also called the Cup of Wine or the Cup of Golden Wine.
Bee hummingbirds have a high metabolism, so they need large quantities food. These little ones eat most day, and the daily serving volume is equal to half of body weight. They also have to drink a lot - the volume of drink exceeds their body weight by 8 times. This is comparable to the fact that a person weighing 50 kilograms would need 400 liters of water daily.
But hummingbirds feed on more than just nectar. During the mating season, they eat small insects, as they need protein at this time.
Reproduction of Cuban hummingbirds
Hummingbirds lead a solitary lifestyle, and they form pairs only for a short time to continue the race.
Mating season for the bee hummingbird, it occurs at the end of the rainy season or at the beginning of the dry season, since many shrubs and trees bloom at this time.
Males gather in groups in special places and make monotonous chirping and squeaking noises. With this singing they attract females. The female chooses a mate from the general chorus. Hummingbirds have fragile pairs, and mature males can fertilize several females at once. Also, one female can have several partners.
The female builds a cup-shaped nest by weaving together blades of grass, moss, cobwebs, lichens and animal hair. Initially, the diameter of the nest is 2.5-3 centimeters, but since it is built from flexible materials, as the chicks grow, it can be increased almost 2 times. The nest is located on a tree branch, at a height of 1-6 meters from the ground.
There are 2 eggs in the clutch white the size of a pea, their diameter does not exceed 6 millimeters. After about 16 days, the chicks hatch. They are immobile, blind and have no down.
The female protects her babies from danger and feeds them with regurgitated insects, since nectar contains little protein and is not enough for the development of the babies. The mother pushes food directly into the chicks' stomachs with her long beak.
The breaks between feeding the babies should not exceed 8 minutes, otherwise the chicks weaken and fall into torpor, and then, in general, may die. After 18-38 days, the hummingbird-bee chicks fly out of the nest. They reach sexual maturity a year after birth.
Hummingbird-bee species status
Currently, these tiny creatures are found only on the island of Cuba, but previously they were found on the neighboring islands of Santo Domingo, Jamaica and Haiti. They drive sedentary image life and make minor feeding migrations only when necessary.
Bee hummingbirds are an endangered species. In nature, the enemies of these little ones are birds of prey, mongooses, rats, fish, frogs and large spiders. But these predators cannot cause serious damage to the population. People cut down forests and drain swamps to grow coffee, tobacco and cocoa, leading to serious environmental problems.
The main reason for the extinction of the hummingbird-bee species is the destruction of their habitat. Interesting facts about Cuban hummingbirds
The Bee Hummingbird is not only the tiniest bird, but also the smallest warm-blooded animal on the planet;
These birds have the smallest number of feathers compared to other birds;
Hovering in front of a flower, the bee hummingbird manages to make 90 wing beats per second;
The Bee Hummingbird holds the record for heart rate. When the hummingbird is in a calm state, the heart makes 300 beats per minute, and when the bird is active - 500 beats per minute;
The specific name of this baby is quite true. With an average length of five and a half centimeters and a weight of less than two grams, the male bee hummingbird is really not much larger in size than the largest bee species Megachile pluto with a maximum body length of 3.9 centimeters. This is an absolute world record: smaller birds simply do not exist on earth.
Endemic to Liberty Island
Hummingbird Bee ( Mellisuga helenae) is native to Cuba, where it was once widespread. However, in Lately Due to the clearing of forests - its main habitat - the bird's range has become extremely uneven. Today, the bee hummingbird can be found mainly in Havana, in the Sierra de Anafe mountains, on the Guanacabibes and Zapata peninsulas, in the municipalities of Moa and Mayari in the province of Holguin, as well as on the coast of Guantanamo Bay. In addition, the bird was previously found on the island of Juventud adjacent to Cuba.
The Bee Hummingbird is a non-migratory species. However, there is information about her visits to neighboring Bahamas and the Florida Peninsula. At the same time, reports about it in Jamaica and Haiti are assessed by many experts as erroneous.
Short description
Despite their miniscule weight and size, bee hummingbirds, unlike their usually graceful relatives, look quite tightly built and robust. Their appearance depends on gender, and in males – also on the season.
Males of this species are smaller than females, and with an average length of 5.51 cm (including beak and tail), they weigh only 1.6 - 2 g. A 10-kopeck coin weighs approximately the same.
Females are slightly larger: their average length is 6.12 cm, and weighs about 2.6 g. Thus, they “pull” almost 50 kopecks. The average wingspan is 3.25 cm.
Like all hummingbirds, “bees” - excellent flyers. According to some estimates, the speed at which they flap their wings is 80 beats per second. This is so much that individual movements become indistinguishable to the human eye.
The female bee hummingbird is slightly larger than the male and has white spots on the tips of its tail feathers.
The coloration of males and females outside the breeding season is quite similar. The exception is the spots at the ends of the tail feathers - black and white, respectively. The color of the back may also differ, which in a male “bee” usually has a more pronounced blue tint, while in a female it is more green. The breasts of both are gray.
The male dresses up for the breeding season. Shiny pink-red feathers appear on its head and chin, and on its throat is a bright iridescent necklace, elongated on the sides. Soon after the end of this period, the ceremonial attire is discarded, and the male returns to his normal appearance.
You've done the job - fly away safely
Bee hummingbirds are solitary birds. They do not gather in flocks, do not form permanent pairs, and outside the breeding season they each live on their own.
The breeding season usually begins at the end of the rainy season or at the beginning of the dry season, that is, in March-April. It ends in June.
To attract females, males gather to lek, where they try to impress them with their singing. Females can visit several leks a day, choosing the “performers” they like most. Both males and females can mate with several partners in one season.
The mating process is the only role the male plays in the reproductive process. Immediately after it, he flies away and does not participate either in choosing a place for the nest or in its construction. Raising offspring is also not among his concerns. All this is done exclusively by the female.
A male bee hummingbird during the breeding season. On tree branches at a height of 1–6 meters, it builds a tiny (about 3 cm in diameter) nest from thin twigs and plant fibers. The outside of the nest is lined with green moss for camouflage, and the inside is lined with various down and wool for comfort. The entire structure is reinforced with cobwebs or other adhesive substance, which allows the nest to double in size as the chicks grow.
The clutch usually consists of two white eggs the size of a pea (no more than 6 mm in diameter), which the female incubates for 14–16 days. The chicks hatch blind and completely naked and helpless. The mother feeds them by regurgitating the food she brings, which she pushes with her beak through the chicks' throats directly into their stomachs.
When the chicks reach 18–38 days of age, they leave the nest and begin independent life. Bee hummingbirds become sexually mature at the age of about one year.
Voracious owners
The breeding season of the bee hummingbird coincides with the flowering of many trees and shrubs, including its favorite food plant, Solandra grandiflora ( Solandra grandiflora). Nectar is the main food of adult hummingbirds of this species, and in Solandra it has the highest concentration of sugar (15 – 30%).
By the way, many endemic plants of Cuba depend on hummingbirds for pollination. The evolution of their flower shape paralleled the evolution of their beak shape, and they are now difficult to pollinate by other birds and insects. Such interdependence is a perfect example of coevolution, mutually beneficial adaptation to each other. different types Living creatures.
To feed themselves, each bee hummingbird visits up to 1,500 flowers per day. different plants, spending most of the day feeding. This Cuban baby has an extremely fast metabolism: every day she must eat a volume of food equal to half her body weight and drink eight times her body weight. Therefore, voracious bee hummingbirds (especially males) aggressively defend their feeding places, driving away both other individuals of their species and bumblebees and hawk moths that encroach on their feeding territory.
While feeding, the bee hummingbird hovers near the flower and laps up nectar with its long tongue at a speed of 13 times per second. In addition to nectar, the bee hummingbird's diet also includes various small insects. This type of food is especially important for chicks, since nectar contains virtually no protein necessary for their growth. Therefore, during the feeding period, the female has to catch up to 2 thousand insects daily.
Natural habitat
The bee hummingbird inhabits mainly dense forests and forest edges, as well as mountain valleys, swamps and gardens. It prefers areas where the already mentioned Solandra grandiflora vine grows - its favorite source of nectar.
Unfortunately, currently only 15–20% of Cuba's territory remains relatively untouched by humans. As the forests covering the island are reduced to use Agriculture, the number of bee hummingbirds is also declining. And although the species is not immediately threatened with extinction, such a threat may appear in the very near future. Therefore, the World Conservation Union awarded the smallest bird on the planet protective status“nearly vulnerable species.”
River bent into an arc
At first glance at this sharp bend of the Colorado River in northern Arizona, USA, it becomes clear where its name - Horseshoe - comes from. With its almost perfectly symmetrical 270 degrees of turn, this river meander really does look a lot like a horse’s “shoe.” The unusual shape, picturesque cliffs more than 300 meters high and relative accessibility have made the Horseshoe an extremely popular tourist attraction. Today it is one of the most recognizable and frequently photographed natural landmarks in the southwestern United States.
How to bend an entire river into an arc
Geologists believe that the Arizona Horseshoe arose about 5 million years ago, when, as a result of tectonic uplift of the Colorado Plateau, ancient river Colorado, on the border of the future states of Arizona and Utah, was forced to adapt to the new terrain. Following faults in the local sandstone massifs, she gradually carved an entire canyon into them. Today it is known as the Glen, and the Horseshoe is its most intricately curved section.
The color of the rocks and water at Horseshoe changes throughout the day. Some of the best shots are taken at sunset. In 1963, the canyon was almost completely flooded by the waters of the huge Powell Reservoir. It retained its original appearance only in the southernmost part, about 24 km long (where, in fact, the Horseshoe is located).
By the way, Glen is the northern neighbor of the famous Grand Canyon, which has a very similar geological history.
Easily accessible beauty
Horseshoe is one of those few phenomenally beautiful places that travelers with almost any physical ability can reach. It is located just 6.5 km southwest of the Arizona town of Page, from which Highway 89 leads to the bend. A dirt road turns off from it between mileposts No. 544 and No. 545, and then almost immediately there is a special parking lot and the beginning of a walking trail. A short climb to a small gazebo on the hill, then a gentle descent - and the mighty curve of the Horseshoe opens before your eyes.
In general, a round-trip walk of about a couple of kilometers takes about 45 minutes.
You can go to the Horseshoe all year round; no permits or separate tickets are required to visit it. You will only have to pay for access to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, on whose territory the Horseshoe is located. Access costs $25 per private vehicle and is valid for up to seven days.
It is prohibited to litter in the National Recreation Area, as well as to disturb in any way wildlife and leave notes. You can walk dogs on a short leash (no longer than 1.8 m).
When going to the Horseshoe, it is recommended to take plenty of water with you (at least 1 liter per person), as well as sunglasses and a hat, since there is no shade on the trail except for the gazebo halfway. For those who are interested in photography, a wide-angle lens is a must—without it, the scale of the Horseshoe simply cannot be captured. Of course, you should be careful on the observation deck - there are no railings or fences on it.
The elevation above sea level at the Horseshoe Lookout is 1,285 m. The elevation above the Colorado River is just over 300 m. There are no guardrails, so caution must be exercised. In July 2010, a tourist from Greece fell here and died. From the point of view of the beauty of the landscape best time to visit the Horseshoe - from about 9:30 am (when the river gets rid of the thick shadow) until noon. At noon itself, due to the lack of shadows, the view of the famous bend will be somewhat flat. The evening until sunset inclusive is also a good option, but in this case the sun will shine in your eyes.
There are several other top-notch attractions located in relative proximity to the Horseshoe. Thus, directly north of Page is the impressive wall of the Glen Canyon Dam, 220 meters high, beyond which the Powell Reservoir begins. 45 km west of Horseshoe lies the famous Arizona Wave - a sandstone rock formation of absolutely incredible beauty. And 12 km in reverse side(that is, to the east) is the no less famous Antelope Canyon.
And finally, southwest of the bend downstream of the Colorado River begins the Grand Canyon - one of the most unusual and impressive geological features on the globe.
Remarkable fresh
At the top of one of the taiga-covered mountain ranges of the Gremyachinsky region Perm region there is a powerful rock mass cut by deep cracks. Large and not so large crevasses crossing it crosswise form a bizarre labyrinth, reminiscent of the streets, alleys and squares of some long-abandoned settlement. This is the so-called Stone Town, one of the most popular tourist places in the modern Kama region.
Three names for one place
Today, Stone Town is widely known not only to Perm residents, but also to many guests of the region. Despite the remoteness, a constant flow of travelers comes here all year round. However, this was not always the case: a couple of decades ago, only a few people knew about the Stone Town. local residents, and even then under completely different names.
Cracks in the rock mass of Stone Town form a network of large and small “streets”. The fact is that modern tourists called this place Stone Town, but earlier for half a century it was called “Turtles”. This name was given to it in the middle of the 20th century because characteristic shape The two highest rock outcrops were created by residents of the neighboring mining villages of Shumikhinsky and Yubileiny, founded in 1953 and 1957, respectively. However, this name was not the original one: old-timers of the “oldest age” settlement In this area - the village of Usva - these rocky outcrops have long been known as the Devil's Settlement.
This name is not uncommon for Ural toponymy. Not far from Yekaterinburg, for example, there is a spectacular mountain of the same name, very popular among tourists and climbers. In addition, objects with a similar name are found in other regions of Russia, since it was customary to call rock massifs and stone ridges devilish fortifications unusual shape. It is obvious that people, not knowing the true geological reasons, attributed their construction to evil spirits.
History of appearance
How did the Perm Stone City actually arise?
Scientists have found that 350 - 300 million years ago there was a delta in this place large river. Its mighty streams brought with them large masses of sand, which over time turned into powerful sandstone deposits. Later, as a result of the movement of tectonic plates that caused the formation of the Ural Mountains, the territory of the future Stone City was raised high above sea level and began to be weathered.
Quartz sandstone of Stone Town. The brown color is due to the admixture of iron hydroxides. Behind long millions Over the years, water, wind, temperature changes and chemical processes have deepened and expanded the cracks in the rock that appeared during the tectonic uplift. This led to the emergence of the current “streets” and “alleys”, the width of which can currently reach eight and depth – twelve meters. In other words, with scientific point From a Permian perspective, the Stone City is a cluster of weathering remains composed of fine-grained quartz sandstones.
Road to Stone Town
Considering the great popularity of the Stone Town today, it is difficult to believe that it is not even mentioned in the old guidebooks to the Kama region. Nevertheless, this is so - the rush demand for the Gremyachin remains has appeared among Perm travel lovers only in the last fifteen to two decades, and before that, due to poor transport accessibility, they were practically unknown to the mass tourist.
Fortunately, the situation has changed since then, and today you can easily get to Stone Town by car. The general route is as follows: first the road to Usva (188 kilometers from Perm, 383 from Yekaterinburg), then about another two kilometers along the highway towards Kizel. Then turn right to the villages of Shumikhinsky and Yubileiny and five kilometers along the forest dirt road to the parking lot. Further, turning left from the road, about a one and a half kilometer march along a clearly visible path and among the trees the first remnants of the Stone City will begin to be visible.
At the top of the Rudyansky mountain
Since the Stone Town is located not far from the main peak of the Rudyansky Spoy mountain range (526 meters above sea level), the trail from the dirt road to the remains goes up a small slope. The ridge begins on the outskirts of the village of Usva and stretches 19 kilometers north to the city of Gubakha. It was named Rudyansky because of the Rudyanka River flowing in its southern part, in the basin of which at the beginning of the 19th century they mined iron ore. In the Perm region, long mountain ranges covered with forests without clearly defined peaks were previously called spoys.
Rocky outcrop Turtle – main symbol Perm Stone Town. The stone city (not counting the numerous single stones scattered around it) is divided into two unequal parts. The first rock outcrops that tourists come to belong to the so-called Big city. It is in it that the two largest local remains rise - the Big and Small Turtles, because of which the Devil's Settlement changed its name in the 1950s.
The smaller of these remains, due to its similarity in shape to a sitting bird, is today better known to tourists as the Feathered Guardian. The larger one, accordingly, is now more often called simply Turtle. Between him and the Feathered Guardian there is a vast and almost horizontal area - the so-called Square. Tourists get to it along Prospect, the widest (up to four meters) and longest crack in the Stone City. The almost vertical walls of Prospect reach eight meters in height in some places.
The feathered guardian, like the Turtle visible behind him, often becomes the object of annual rock-climbing competitions held in Stone Town between rescuers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, mountain tourists and speleologists of the Perm region. To the right and left of the Prospect there are narrow cracked streets. One of them (the one that goes around the Turtle) has the highest – up to 12 meters – walls in the city. Along the other two you can rise above the rock mass and from there you can see both the Stone Guardian and the Turtle in all their glory.
About 150 meters north of the Big City is the Small City. Despite its much smaller area compared to its neighbor, it is also very interesting and picturesque. Its main “street”, for example, is even more spectacular than the Avenue described above. In addition, there is a curious stone ridge with a through hole in the base. The only problem is that there is no clear path to the Small Town and it is not always easy to find.
You can come to Stone Town at any time of the year, but it is especially beautiful here on sunny autumn days. At this time, according to his drowning in bright colors You can wander the streets endlessly. That is why at the end of August and at the beginning of autumn there is the largest influx of visitors in the Stone Town.
However, many tourists come here in winter, when both the outcrops themselves and the trees growing right on them are effectively covered with snow-white caps of snowdrifts. Therefore, going to Stone Town in winter months, there is no need to fear that the local trails will be impassable due to deep snow. They will certainly be well trodden by groups of previous visitors.
The stone city is located immediately west of the main peak of the Rudyansky ridge. From here you can enjoy unforgettable views of the endless ocean of the Ural taiga. Before visiting the Stone Town, you need to stock up on water, since there are no large water sources. Also, since since 2008 this landscape natural monument of regional significance received the status of a specially protected natural area, should be adhered to certain rules behavior.
Firstly, you can make fires in Stone Town only in specially equipped places, using only dead wood and dead wood (cutting down living trees and shrubs is prohibited). Secondly, you cannot litter and leave unextinguished fires behind. Thirdly, it is prohibited to disturb animals and make inscriptions on rocks, stones and trees. Violation of these rules threatens with a fine of up to 500 thousand rubles.
Stone Town is not the only natural attraction in the vicinity of the village of Usva. Not far from it there is, for example, such a “flagship” of the tourism industry of the Perm region as the Usvinsky Pillars - a huge and extremely photogenic stone ridge with a picturesque outcropping Damn finger. Rafting on the Usva River is also very popular among Perm residents.
In general, weathering remnants like the Stone City, associated with the selective destruction of mountain ranges, are one of the most spectacular geomorphological objects of the Kama region. There are especially many of them on the flat peaks of the Northern Urals, such as the Chuvalsky Kamen, Kuryksar, Listvennichny ridges and on the Kvarkush plateau.
