י246) שחף חום-ראש

Brown-headed Gull
Brown-headed Gull
Brown-headed Gull













Larus brunnicephalus
Larus brunnicephalus
Larus brunnicephalus



:שחף חום-ראש
חלקו הקדמי של ראשו חום בהיר, הולך ומשחיר לכיוון עורפו
. יוצר מין קולר לא ברור בדומה לשחף אפור-ראש. מסביב לעיניו שני חצאי סער לבנים
. רשתית העין צהובה או אפורה. מקורו אדום בוהק וקצהו שחור
. כנפיו אפורות, קצותיהם שחורות עם אזורים לבנים. רגליו אדומות בוהקות עד כהות
, בית גידולו אגמים של מים מלוחים או ביצות באזורים גבוהים וקרים על איים
. לעיתים על חופים ונהרות לאחר תקופת הקינון
. בארץ עובר אורח אקראי נדיר ביותר באילת
... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16
Larus brunnicephalus SC Asia, Turkestan and W Xinjiang, to Pamirs, Ladakh and Tibet. Winters on coasts of India, Sri Sanka and SE Asia, sparingly W to Arabian Peninsula. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
40-45 cm, 450-700 g, wingspan 100-105 cm, Hood pale brown, becoming blackish at nape, forming an indistinct collar reminiscent Grey-headed Gull.
Narrow white eye-crescents towards rear. Mantle, back and inner part of wing grey, outer wing coverts white. Primaris white at base, broadly black distally, with white windows on outer 2.
Bill bright red, with dusky tip. Legs bright to dark red. Iris pale yellow or greyish, with narrow red orbital ring.
Distinguished by wingtip pattern, recalling that of L. delawarensis, very different from L. ridibundus and L. caculipennis, which gave largely white outer primaries.
Habitat.
Breeds on islands in large, cold high altitude lakes of varying salinity or in adjacent marshes. frequents coasts and rivers outside breeding season.
Food and Feeding
Main diet based on fish, shrimps, offal, also insects, grubs, slugs, earthworms, sewage, potatoes, rodents and plant shoots.
Where there are few fish, feeds mainly on invertebrates. In winter, associates with fishing boats and consumes refuse. Often feeds in shallow water, by immersing head and neck.
Breeding.
May-Jun. Colonies of 50 pairs. Often near Sterna hirundo.
Nests usually close together, made of masses of plant stems. Large bulky nests built in marshes, smaller nests on land. 3 eaggs, incubation 24 days.
Chick very pale grey, spotted dark above.
Movements.
Migrates over mounains to coasts of S Asia. Fairly common in Nepal, where some remain to winter. Migrate through Shanxi and inner Mongolia also to India, Gulf of Thailand and SE Asia, where often common close inshore and inland.
Status and Conservation.
Not globally threatened. Status insufficiently known, but species probably not rare.
Israel.
In Israel subspecies Larus brunnicephalus. Straggler at Eilat.

Larus brunnicephalus
(in Israel)

Larus brunnicephalus

Larus brunnicephalus


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