Order brings together a large group of birds is very different in appearance. Among the squad is dominated by small and medium-size birds, often brightly colored and pestro, short and thick plumage. Almost all raksheobraznye nest in enclosed places - in the hollows, burrows, etc. The young born naked, deprived of Pooh, and after some time, are covered by long rigid feathers hemp, which deployed very slowly. All our raksheobraznyh migratory species, only a fraction of zimorodkov can hibernate for the non-freezing waters within our limits. Food is only animals: insects and other invertebrates, small fish, lizards, frogs and rodents. In Russia squad on 3 families. The most numerous raksheobraznye in the tropics and subtropics (Shtegman, Ivanov, 1978).

Family Roller Coraciidae

Brightly colored birds the size of a jackdaw, in a dense white brilliant plumage dominated by blue and green hues. Land and tree birds. Breeding in hollows or burrows and, dug out in the cliff. Wings large and very sharp, light and maneuverable flight. Prey - insects, small terrestrial invertebrates, lizards and small rodents - catch on the ground, but insects can catch and on the fly. In the winter fly off to the south (Shtegman, Ivanov, 1978).

In Russia fauna found:

Roller Coracias garrulus L., 1758
Shirokorot Eurystomus orientalis L., 1766

Family Zimorodkovye Alcedinidae

Small and medium-size birds. The neck is short, massive head, beak long, straight, slightly compressed laterally. The legs are weak, short, unsuitable for walking. The flight is fast but little maneuver, direct. The inhabitants of the coasts of water. Pischu catch mainly in water, vysmotrev her sitting over the water on the shore or on the branches. Slot in the burrows, dug out in the coastal cliff, rarer in the hollows. Eggs nearly ball, pure-white set aside without any litter on the bottom cluster camera (Shtegman, Ivanov, 1978).

In the fauna of Russia apart from ordinary zimorodka Alcedo atthis Linnaeus, 1758 are:

Big pinto kingfisher Ceryle lugubris Temminck, 1834
Small pinto kingfisher Ceryle rudis L., 1758
Osheynikovy kingfisher Halcyon pileata Boddaert, 1738
Sic halcyon Halcyon coromanda Letham, 1790

Within the former Soviet Union found Krasnonosy kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis L., 1758.

Family Schurkovye Meropidae

Smaller and smaller birds on the forecourt body (long spicy wings) and fly resembling lastochek. Beak long, sharp, slightly curved downwards. The legs are weak, short, 3rd finger to the last phalanx srosshiysya with the 4 th, 2 nd and 3rd fingers sroslis only at the base. Inhabitants of open spaces, avoid forests. Production (insect) catch on the fly, as swallows, or take-off in the air with branches or coastal cliffs, as muholovki. Slot in the burrows, which royut to rupture or even on flat ground. Eggs are white, without delaying the litter at the bottom of female cells. In the winter fly off to the south. In Russia, only one pod: Schurki Merops L., 1758 (Shtegman, Ivanov, 1978).

In Russia fauna found:

Gold schurka Merops apiaster L., 1758
Green schurka Merops superciliosus L., 1766

References.