| י190) חרטומן יערות | ||||||||||
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:חרטומן יערות . גודלו כגודל יונה, ארוך כנפים, צבעו כעין החלודה ומפוספס כולו . ראשו וגחונו מפוספסים בצבעים כהים העוזרים לו להתמזג עם הקרקע מקורו ארוך, רך וגמיש בקצהו. עיניו קבועות גבוה בראשו . דבר המאפשר לו זוית ראיה רחבה רגליו קצרות ושוקיו עטויי נוצות. נראה לרוב מעופף . תוך כדי בריחה לבין העצים . בית גידולו בזמן הדגירה בחורשות ויערות סבוכים . נמנע מאזורים יבשים. תר אחר מזונו בקרקע לחה או ביצות . בארץ חורף מצוי בעיקר בצפון הארץ ומרכזה | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Scolopax rusticola Azores, Madeira, Canary Is, through N and C Europe and C Asia to Japan, also Caucasus, NW China and N India. Winters from W and S Europe and N Africa to SE Asia . םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
31-35 cm, 145-420 g, wingspan 55-60 cm. Thick transverse bars on crown, typical for all woodcock species. Mainly rufous brown and reddish above providing good camouflage. Bill long and straight, but relatively shorter than congeners. Broad wings, in flight recalling owl. Plumage somewhat variable. Differs from very similar, possibly conspecific, S. mira in having area of whitish feathering around eye, rather than bare skin. Rounder head, dark subterminal band on tail, narrower wings and shorter tarsi. Sexes alike. No seasonal variation. Juvenile very similar to adult, but forehend more spotted. Habitat. During breeding season in moist forests, where favours mosaic habitats, and ectensive woodland covered by undergrowth of scrub, brambles, holly, gorse and bracken. Avoids warm and dry areas. often feeds along streams or springs, or in damp and swampy patches. Often gathers for roosting and feeding in earthworm-rich permanent grasslands at night. Food and Feeding. Mainly animals, with some plant matter. Animals include earthworms, insects particularly beetles, but also earwings, spiders, crustaceans, slugs, leeches and ribbonworms. Plant material comprises seeds, fruits, oats maixw grain and roots and blades of various grasses. Feeds by probing in puddles or damp ground, or by pecking at ground surface, or under leaf litter and twigs, may use foot-trembling. Mostly feeds at night, especially outside breeding season, when earthworms taken on pasture land may predominate. Breeding Mar-Apr, polygynous mating system. Male performs self-advertising display flight around dusk and dawn. Nest is a shallow depression in ground concealed by shrubs. Clutch 4 eggs, incubation 22 days, by female only. Chick pale pinkish buff with large, ferruginous brown and chestnut brown blotches and bands above. Movements. Mostly migratory. Fenno-Scandia and some W Russian birds winter in W and S Europe and N Africa. Breeding birds of British Is and France mainly resident. Asian breeders winter in Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and India through Indochina to SE China, and occasionally S to Brunei. Timing of autumn departure related to onset of frosts. Return to breeding grounds, Mar-May, also closely related to temperature. Females migrate first, at least in some areas. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatend. African and European post-breeding population estimated at 20.000.000- 35.000.000 birds. Israel. In Israel subspecies Scolopax rusticola. Quite common winter visitor, particularly central and hilly country of northern Israel. |
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