י226) לוחם


Ruff
Ruff
Ruff










Philomachus pugnax
Philomachus pugnax
Philomachus pugnax



:לוחם
. חופמאי בינוני בגודלו, זקוף, הזכר גדול במידה רבה מהנקבה
בקיץ הזכר ניכר בלבוש מיוחד במינו, צוארו מתהדר בצוארון של נוצות ארוכות
. ובציצות אוזן שצבען שונה מפרט לפרט. ראשו קטן, המקור קצר ונוטה כלפי מטה
. צווארו ארוך, רגליו ארוכות, הכנפים ארוכות וצרות וזנבו קצר ומעוגל
. הלוחם נוהג להתלהק לעיתים גם עם חופמאים אחרים
. במקומות מסוימים באסיה ואירופה נוהגים הזכרים להתכנס ולהלחם זה בזה ומכאן שמו
. בית גידולו ביצות ושדות לחים, בחורף ליד חופים רדודים של מקוי מים מתוקים או דלוחים
. בארץ עובר אורח מצוי, וחורף די שכיח ברוב חלקי הארץ המישוריים
Subspecies and Distribution.
Philomachus pugnax NW Europe through Siberia to Sea of Okhotsk. Witers from Mediterranean and sub Saharan Africa through Middle East to Indean Subcontinent. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
20-32 cm, 70-254 g, wingspan 48-58 cm. Medium sized wader with extreme sexual dimorphism.
Male has head-tufts and ruff variably colored buff, chestnut, dark purple, black or white, often barred or flecked. White colration of tufts and ruff associated with satellite behavioural role. Mantle and scapulars vary from black to brown, chestnut, ocher or white. Yellow to brown facial warts. Underparts usually dark, lower belly and undertail white. Bill brown to dull orange and legs yelwo green to dark orange.
Female considerably smaller than male, with overall color rather variable. Lacks specialized head plumage of male. Bill black, legs pinkish orange to green ot grey.
Habitat.
Arctic, subarctic and S to temperate zones in Europe. Coastal tundra to forest tundra, near small lakes, in marshes and deltas with shallow water margins covered with vegetation, and with dry mounds and slopes with some low scrub .
Outside breeding season, prefers muddy margins of lakes, pools, ponds, rivers, marshes and flooded areas, including brackish, saline or alkaline waters.
Uses night time roosts on shallow water along edges.
Food and Feeding.
Mainly terrestrial and aquatic insects particularly of beetles and dipteran flies.
Outside breeding season diet including: caddisflies, water bugs, grasshoppers, small crustaceans, spiders, annelid worms, frogs and small fish.
Probes in mud or soil and picks up prey from surface or plants, sometimes follows ploughs and sometimes wades in shallow water. Nocturnal and diurnal feeder.
Breeding.
May-Jun. Polygynous, with no true pair-bond. Mating primarily takes place at traditional leks where males gather to display and females visit. Three types of males appear on arena.
A) Residents, possessing small territories.
B) Marginals, without territory.
C) Satellites, occurring on periphery of arena and mating opportunistically.
Satellites are generally white tufted and ruffed. Many females may copulate during migration. No site fidelity and natal philopatry.
Nests solitary or semi colonial. Nest concealed in marsh plants or meadow grass, shallow scrape lined with grass, leaves and stems. 3-4 eggs, incubation 22 days by female only.
Chick ochre orange above, with black and brown streaks and lines of powder-puffs, of which two along crown, underparts entirely buff. Age of first breeding 2 years.
Movements.
Migratory. Flies in broad front SW across Europe, following route farther E in spring. Scandinavian breeders probably verutally all stage in Wadden Sea region from late Apr to May. E and S African winterers come from Siberia, migrating via Caspian and Black Seas.
Autumn migration starts late Jun, crossing temperate Europe mainly late Jul, important staging and moulting areas lie around North Sea, W Germany and N Caspian Sea.
Spring migration starts Mar, males starting a month earlier than females. breeding grounds reoccupied from mid Apr. Migrates in large groups, of hundreds or thousands.
Status and Conservation.
Not globally threatened. total population estimated at 2.000.000 birds.
Israel.
In Israel subspecies Philomachus pugnax. Very common passage migrant and uncommon winter visitor all over the low-lying parts of the country.

Philomachus pugnax
(in Israel)

Philomachus pugnax

Philomachus pugnax

Philomachus pugnax

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