| י188) חופמי אסיה | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
:חופמי אסיה . חופמי רזה וגבוה, צידי ראשו מצחו וגרונו לבנים . וגבו חומים, הפס שעל חזהו ערמוני או חלוד-אדום . בטנו לבנה ורגליו במגוון ורדרד-צהוב לבין אפור-חום . פדחתו דומה לחופמי מונגולי אבל גבוה ממנו , בית גידולו בתקופת הדגירה מלחות מישורים וערבות מדבריים . וליד מקווי מים המוקפים צמחית שיחים דלילה לאחר הדגירה מתרכז ליד חופי אגמים, נהרות ושטחי מרעה של בקר . שמים נקוו בעקבות פרסותיו . בארץ מבקר סתיו ואביב נדיר | ||||||||||
|
Subspecies and Distribution.
Charadrius asiaticus W N and E Caspian Sea to Lakes Alakol and Zaysan, Kazakhstan and NW Xinjiang, NW china. Winters in E and S Africa. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
|
Descriptive notes.
19-20 cm, 60-90 g, wingspan 55-60 cm. Slim, upright plover, with clear white supercilium, forehead and throat. Brown crown and upperparts. Breast band rusty red or chestnut, with black line on border with white belly. White flashes on upperwing, underwing coverts white. Legs vary between pinkish yellow, greyish green and pale grey or brown. Rresembles closely related C. veredus, but neck and legs slightly shorter. Taller and less compact than C. mongolus or C. leschenaultii. Female has breast grey-brown without black edge. Non-breedubg adult has greyish brown breast band. Face, forehead and throat pale buffish, upperparts with rufous-buff edges, when fresh. Habitat. Breeds in lowland desert and desert steppe, preferably in salt-pans and on saline soil, often subject to seasonal flooding, near water among sparse shrub vegetation. Concentrations after breeding on banks of lakes and rivers, and water-holes trampled by cattle. In Africa, occurs on recently burnt or heavily grazed grassland and dry floodplains, often far from water. Sometimes on bare cultivated ground. Food and Feeding. Primarily insects and their larvae. In breeding season mainly takes beetles, also ants, grasshoppers, bugs, caterpillars and fly larvae, occasionally plant material, grass and seeds. During non-breeding season, beetles, termites and grasshoppers, also small snails. Observed hunting for insects in town garbage heaps and cow dung. Breeding Apr-Jun, monogamous pair bond reported. Songflight may be heard until midnight on moonlit nights. Territorial, nesting singly or in small, loose groups of 10-25 pairs. Adults will feed in small flocks outside territory, leaving eggs and young unattended. Nest is shallow scrape, sparsely lined with plant matirial and debris, on ground in the open or among low vegetation. 3 eggs, incubated by both parents, only female at night. Chick has crown, back and band down leg pale cream, marked with black spots, forming lines on crown, back and forewings white forehead, sides of head, hindneck collar and underparts are white. Tended by both parents. Age of first breeding probably 2 years. Movements. Migratory. Usually moves in small flocks 6-12 birds up to 30. Flocks form after breeding, gradually merging for migration during Aug, migrates S till Oct, return migration Mar-May. Stop over sites in Iran, Iraq, Arabian Peninsula, Red Sea and perhaps Gulf of Aden, but probably overflies Middle East region during autumn migration. Migrates in broad front to and from NE Africa, arrives to late Aug. Departure from Africa late Feb, arriving Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan from Mar-Apr. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatend. Total population probably numbers 100.000 birds. Israel. In Israel subspecies Charadrius asiaticus. Rare spring and autumn passage migrant in Eilat area. |
| |||||||||
| HOME | NEXT | |||||||||
