The nightingale philomèle (and not philomene!) ( Luscinia megarhynchos ) the forest lives, preferably near to water, but one can also find it in the gardens, the thickets or orchards. Its song is mélodieux but as more complex, one says as he sings, gringotte, quiritte or trille, of day like night. It fascinated the researchers who counted between 120 and 260 different sequences, they last in general from 2 to 4 seconds. The young male learns how to sing while listening the most tested and thus marks its territory, or tries to allure the females. As soon as they are paired, the males generally stop singing the night. This lets suppose that celebrates it night song is useful before very attracting the females. The trilles of the nightingale were formerly considered to calm the pain, to accelerate the cures and to soften death as the tale of Andersen " evokes it; the emperor of China and the rossignol".

Aspect

Its scale measures between 22 and 24 cm for a height of approximately 16 cm  ; it weighs from 18 to 27 G. Its plumage is brown, its legs are long.

Food

It nourishes bay S, of Araignée S or small insects.

Nesting

It takes place of May to June. Its nest is ordered little and low (seldom above 30 cm), even with same the ground. The female lays 4 or 5 egg S which bluish or greenish, is mottled a little. The Incubation lasts approximately 14 days. The emancipation lasts 11 to 12 days and the flight follows shortly after. The first nesting occurs next spring and the nightingales philomèles live up to 6 years.

Migration

In September, it migrates towards the sub-Saharan Africa while passing by the Straits of Gibraltar or by places where the maritime extent is not important.

Symbols

In the popular traditions, the nightingale announces spring, it is the bird of the month of May, but it is also and especially the symbol of the love. The Comté of Nice preserved its Nightingale which steals in the traditional songs and the rounds of May, whose topic inspired Tchaïkovski for its Humoresque opus 10-2.

External bonds

video
• on Internet Bird Collection
• song and behavior

Discography

• Metzmacher, Mr., Cartwright, F. and Verhaegen J.P. (1993). Our Virtuosos. Songs of birds. Studies and Environment.

Random links:

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