| י חופזי אמריקני ( a180 | ||||||||||
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:חופזי אמריקאי . דומה לחופזי זהוב ולחופזי הקטן , אורכו 24-28 , משקלו 122-114 ג' ומוטת כנפיו 65-72 ס"מ הצבע הלבן בצידי גופו לרוב חסר. גרונו שחור, בשונה משני . החופזים הקודמים תחתית כנפיו שחומים אפורים . הנקבה לבנה במקצת בחלקי גופה התחתון . למתבגרים חסר הצבע השחור בחזם ובחלקי גופם התחתוניים . חלקי גופם העליונים אפורים בצורה נרחבת במיוחד מסביב לראשם וצוארם . בית גידולו משתרע מאלסקה ולכל רוחבה של קנדה . בחורף מגיע לדרום אמריקה עד לארץ האש שבארגנטינה בית חיותו טונדרות ארקטיקיות מעל קו העצים, וברמות יבשות . בעלות צמחיה נמוכה עם אזוב וחזזיות . מזונו: חרקים. במיוחד חגבים, צרצרים, חיפושיות, זחלים ותולעים . בשטחי הטונדרה גרגרים שונים. ניזון לבדו ולעיתים בלהקות גדולות . לארץ הגיע באקראי, נצפה בחודש דצמבר 2008 במעגן מיכאל ע"י צפרים רבים | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Pluvialis dominica W Alaska E through N Canada to Baffin Is.Winters in South America S to Tierra del Fuego. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
24-28 cm; 122- 114 g; wing- span 65-72 cm. Large white patches on sides of breast. Generally greyer, with paler flecks, than very similar P apricariu and P.folva.White flanks usually absent and vent mostly black: also differs from former in brownish grey underwing, and in wings being clearly longer than tail. Female somewhat whiter below. Non-breeding adult lacks black on underparts and breast: upperparts extensively grey, especially around head and neck; overall less yellow than P. fulva. Juvenile almost totally lacks golden color. and has heavily marked greyish underparts. Habitat. Breeds in Arctic and sub arctic tundra beyond tree limit, in valleys and well drained uplands with short vegetation of moss and lichens. During northern winter, mostly inland on short-grass fields, prairies, ploughed land, wetlands and open sandflats or mudflats. Yong birds found more often on inland and tidal mudflats and saltings. Forms roosting flocks in salt-marshes and fields near lagoons or marshes, and occasionally on ocean beaches. Food and Feeding. Insects. especially grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and caterpi1ears; also worms, spiders ,mollusks, crustaceans. Berries important on tundra.; occasionally seeds and leaves. Feeds in typical plover style. Also gleans and probes in mud, sand and pastures. Feeds alone or in flocks of 100 or moor. Often defends feeding territory on wintering grounds. Breeding Laying- Jun to mid-Jul1. Monogamous. often for several years. High degree of site fidelity. .Nest is exposed, shallow scrape on dry patch amidst moss or lichen: lined with moss. lichen and dead leaves. usually 4 eggs sometimes.3, laid at intervals of 1-2 days. incubation 26 days. starting \\ith .3rd egg. male incubates during day. female at night; chick mottled black and bright yellow above, with whitish checks and underparts after hatching, chicks and parents move to moister areas. soon after fledging of young, adults collect in flocks on higher tundra during first half of Jul just prior to migration. Juveniles flock from mid-Aug. Movements. Migratory. with elliptical migration pattern. Adults leave breeding grounds from early Aug, from mid-Aug, migrate across Canada to Hudson and James Bays. then SE, crossing W Atlantic to Lesser Antilles and N South America, and thence S, arriving in Argentina early Sept. Regularly some birds S to region of Tierra del Fuego. May migrate without pause from James Bay to South America. if Weather permits. During 19th century, may have followed route further E, as large numbers formerly used Nova Scotia as staging area. Return migration starts early Feb in Argentina, and follows route across interior South America, over Central America, across Gulf of Mexico and up Mississippi flyway. Pauses on prairies of Texas in second half Mar, and on prairies of Canada in May, reoccupying Canadian breeding grounds late May to mid-Jun. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Total population 10,000-50,000 birds, apparently stable. Israel. In Israel subspecies Pluvial dominica. Accidental. On December 2008. recorded at Mahgan Michael, near Mediterranean Sea batch, |
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