Different size birds: from small (quail) to very large (capercaillie). Build dense, short neck, legs strong, well-suited for walking and razgrebaniya land or forest litter when feeding. Wings short, broad, breast musculature is very well developed; chicken birds can fly only active rapid flight, and only for short distances. Many chicken birds can take off from the ground at high speed almost vertically, «candle»; while taking off is usually very noisy. A forest species living in dense bush, flying very maneuverable, allowing very easy to tack among the trees and bushes. In contrast to the inhabitants of open spaces, such as Ular, flight is not particularly maneuverability. Usually Ular, flight with a slope of the valley to another, plan, develop greater speed, and fly in a straight line or describe a very low arc. Plumage is short, dense, many types of feathers with a well-developed down part and dobavochnym rod. Nest, on the ground. Outside the nesting period, many live flocks. Only one species of our fauna - quail - a real migratory birds, the remaining live sedentary or commit occasional seasonal perekochevki. Food is mostly vegetation, but in the summer eat insects and invertebrates. In the fauna of Russia squad is represented by two families (Ivanov, Shtegman, 1978).

Family Teterevinye Tetraonidae

Large or medium-sized bird. Nostrils covered feathers. Bobbin opera is not less than half the length and frequency opera to the most fingers. At the edges of the fingers are fringe outgrowths of the horns. The food is mainly vegetable, feed on the ground or trees and shrubs. In terms of marriage between sexual dimorphism in plumage color (except hazel grouse), a brightly colored males as opposed to females. Poligamy (black grouse, capercaillie, etc.) and monogamy (hazel grouse). The type of development chicks - vyvodkovy Inhabitants of tundra and forest zone, few go into the forest, some species live high in the mountains. Sedentary birds or commit kochevki. Food is mostly vegetation. Feeding on the ground or in trees and bushes. All PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS birds - the object of hunting (Ivanov, Shtegman, 1978).

Besides listed in the list of fauna of Russia are:

The Caucasian black grouse Lyrurus molokosiewiczi Taczanowski, 1875
Dikusha Falcipennis falcipennis Hartlaub, 1855

Family Fazanovye Phasianidae

Small and medium-size birds. Unlike PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS nostrils are not covered feathers. Bobbin is not opera. The ends of fingers without fringe of the outgrowths of horns. Inhabitants of open landscapes mainly the southern half of the country: fields, steppe, shrub beds, some live in the desert hills, on rocks or in the subalpine and alpine zones of mountains. Well go and run feeding on the ground. Some species of migratory or commit long kochevki. Food is mostly vegetation. All fazanovye birds - a valuable object of hunting, some divorced in hunting (Ivanov, Shtegman, 1978).

In addition to species listed in the list of fauna Russia and neighboring states are:

Caucasian snowcock Tetraogallus caucasicus Pallas, 1811
The Caspian snowcock Tetraogallus caspius SG Gmelin, 1784
Himalayan snowcock Tetraogallus hymalayensis GR Gray, 1843
Tibetan snowcock Tetraogallus tibetanus Gould, 1854
Desert grouse Ammoperdix griseogularis Brandt, 1843
Turach Francolinus francolinus L., 1766
Japanese quail Coturnix japonica Temminck et Schlegel, 1849
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus L., 1758

References.