| י248) שחף אגמים | ||||||||||
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:שחף אגמים , המצוי ביותר מבין השחפים הקטנים באזורנו . היחיד שניתן לראותו גם הרחק ממים , מקורו ורגליו אדומים. בולט בלובן שפת הכנף הקדמית . גבו וכנפיו אפרפרים ואברות כנפיו שחורות , בחורף ראשו לבן וכתם חום קטן ליד אוזנו . בקיץ מתכהה ראשו ומקבל צבע כעין השוקולד . בית גידולו ביצות, איים באגמי מים, משטחי חול ואבנים . בחורף חודר לפנים היבשת לשדות, אדמות בור, מקוי מים מתוקים ושפכי נהרות , בארץ מבקר חורף ועובר אורח מצוי ביותר בעיקר בצפון הארץ . אבל ניתן לראותו גם בפנים ובדרום הארץ במספרים קטנים יותר ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Larus ridibundus Greenland and Iceland through most of Europe and C Asia to Kamchatka, and SE Russia to China. marginal in NE North America. Winters S to W and E Africa, India, Malaysia and Philippines. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Slimmer gull, similar to the Larus melanocephalus, but note the slightly smaller size. 35-43 cm, 195 320 g, wingspan 95-110 cm. Frontal hood dark chocolate brown to dusky blackish, with blackish border. White eye crescents, neck white, underparts white. Back, upperwing coverts, secondaries and inner primaries grey, secondaries with white tips. edged and tipped black. Tail white. Straighter bill and legs dark red. Eye dark brown. Habitat. Temperate zone to edge of boreal forests of Palearctic. Generally near calm, shallow water of coastal or inland waters, including rivers and their estuaries. In winter, tends to occur far more in coastal habitats, but also inland at relatively low elevations. Chiefly inland breeder, with much breeding habitat created by rising water levels, and colonies eventually abandoned when water levels fall and leave dry basin. Food and Feeding. Diet heavily based on aquatic and terrestrial insects, earthworms and marine invertebrates, and to lesser extent on fish. Feeds by swimming and seizing objects from surface, or dipping head under surface. Along coast, by walking on mudflats and probing for shrimps and marine worms. Sometimes by foot-stirring and foot-paddling. Also follows fishing boats and ferries that churn up food items. Breeding. Apr-May. Colonial. Most colonies up to 100 pairs. Large, bulky nest often touch. Shows strong preference for nesting near vegetation, but some colonies deserted because of vegetation overgrowth. Very variable substrate, inclyding sand, vegetation, rocks and marshes. 1-3 eggs, incubation 23-26 days. Chick warm buff, boldly spotted with irregular black blotches on back and smaller, rounder, sparser black spots on head. Movements. North populations migratory. Scandinavian breeders migrate to Britain and many follow Atlantic coast down to W Africa, but most birds wintering in Britain originate in Baltic republics. Most birds breeding in Switzerland migrate to W Mediterranean. Abundant in N Africa especially Egypt in winter. Common visitor to Red Sea. Asian birds winter S To India, Malaysia and Philippines. Lower latitude birds tend to be resident or dispersive. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Total population perhaps exceeding 2.000.000 pairs. Israel. In Israel subspecies Larus ridibundus. Abundant winter visitor and passege migrant, uncommon summer visitor, in coastal region and northern valleys. |
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