| י214) חופית לבנה | ||||||||||
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:חופית לבנה . חופמאי בינוני בגודלו, חסון ובהיר . בחורף בולטת במראה הלבן ובכתם השחור שעל כתפה . בקיץ גבה וחזה מקבלים גוון ערמוני . בטנה הלבנה ופס כנפה הלבן מבדילים אותה מהחופית האלפינית , רצה מהר וללא הפסקה לאורך שפת הים ושולפת מהחול חסרי חוליות . עם שוב הגל נסוגה במהירות . בית גידולה בצפון בתקופת הקינון, טונדרות עם מעט צמחיה . לאחר תקופת הקינון לאורך חופי ים חוליים . בארץ עוברת אורח שכיחה ומבקרת חורף נדירה, לאורך מישור החוף | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Calidris alba Canadian Arctic, Greenland to Zemlya Is, Taymyr Peninsula, and New Siberian Is. Winters on coast from C North to S South America, and from W and S Europe and Africa through S Asia to Australasia and some tropical Pacific islands. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
20 cm, 35-110 g, wingspan 35-40 cm. Medium sized shorebird, with shortish, thickish bill. Intensity of coloration variable, with head, upperparts and breast mostly pale buff to chestnut. Dark streaks on head and breast and bold black marks and white spots on upperparts. Underparts white, in flight, striking white wingbar in all plumages. Female averages slightly larger and paler, with less chestnut. Habitat. High Arctic barren stony tundra supporting scant vegetation with well drained ridges and sparse growth of willow and saxifrage. Access to shores of neighbouring waters is important requirement for young. Outside breeding season, on open sandy beaches exposed to swell of open sea, and sandy outer reaches of estuaries, also rocky or muddy shores. Food and Feeding. Insects, beetles and Lepidoptera, also spiders and crustaceans and vegetable matter. On migration and in winter, molluscs, crustaceans, worms, and pupal insects, occasionally fish, medusae and larger molluscs and crustaceans taken as carrion. Mostly feeds by rapid probing or pecking. Typically, close to water's edge, following retreating waves. Feeds in small flocks, or very large ones, especially on staging sites. Breeding. Jun-Jul. Monogamous, occasionally polyandrous. High degree of breeding site fidelity. Nest is exposed depression, frequently on bare earth or stones, often lined with dry leaves and lichens. 4 eggs, incubation 24-32 days, by both sexes. Often two clutches, each incubated by one parent. Chick cinnamon buff to ochraceous above with fine black down tips and black bands with rows of white down tips, pale buff yellow face and throat and white underparts. Movements. Migratory. Migration largely offshore and coastal, but locally frequent inland across Africa and North America, also occurs on many small oceanic islands. Seems to be restricted to few stopover sites along flyways. Birds from Greenland and Siberia pass through British Is, some staying there, but most winter down continental coasts from Europe S to S Africa. Siberian birds E of Taymyr move down E Russian coast or overland to Indian Ocean and SW Pacific. Nearctic birds move along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and via prairies and Texas coast. North American winteres migrate along Pacific coast. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. North American winter population estimated at 150.000 birds. Israel. In Israel subspecies Calidris alba. Uncommon winter visitor and quite common passage migrant along Mediterranean Coastal Strip. |
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