| י249) שחף צר-מקור | ||||||||||
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:שחף צהוב-מקור דומה לשחף אגמים, נבדל ממנו בצוארו הארוך יותר . וכן מקורו ארוך ומתמשך בקו ישר מהמצח . בתקופת הקינון הראש, הצואר, הזנב והגחון לבנים . קשתית העין צהובה בהירה מוקפת עיגול אדום . המקור אדום לעיתים מתכהה מאד ונראה שחור , חלקי הגוף העליונים אפרפרים בהירים וכן אברות הכנף . אברות קצה הכנף לבנות וקצותיהן שחורות . בחורף הנוצות נשארות באותם הצבעים, לעיתים נוסף כתם חום באזור האוזן . הרגלים אדומות, לעיתים כתומות . בית גידולו מקוי מים מתוקים או מתוקים למחצה ולעיתים לגונות. לאחר הקינון חופי ים , בארץ עובר אורח שכיח למדי, חורף ומבקר קיץ נדיר . לאורך מישור החוף וחופי ים התיכון וכן באילת ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Larus genei Isolated localities from Senegal, Mauritania, S and E Iberia through Mediterranean, Black Sea, Asia Minor and Middle East to Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and NW India. Winters S to Horn of Africa. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Medium sized gull, 40-44 cm, 220-350 g wingspan 100-110 cm. Distinctive shape, with long sloping forehead, long slightly drooping bill, and long legs. Head, neck, rump and tail white. Back and upperwings grey. Conspicuous white leading edge to wing, as outer five primaries mainly white, with black tips. Undeparts white, with rosy bloom on breast and belly in fresh plumage. bill and legs dark red to blackish red. Iris yellowish white, with red eye-ring. Readily distinguished from L. ridibundus by more angular profile, with smaller head, longer bill and flat-sloping forehead. Habitat. Breeds on coasts of Mediterranian, Black and Caspian Seas and Persian Gulf, and at inland seas and steppe lakes in E Europe to C Asia. Utilizes islands, sand spits and beaches, or meadows, grassland, brackish or freshwater marshes of broad river deltas, occasionally in the marine littoral sone. Almost entirely coastal outside breeding season, feeding in shallow inshore waters and at salt-pans, usually avoid harbours. Food and Feeding. Mainly fish, make up 50% of diet, also insects and marine invertebrates, captured alive and scavenged. Vegetable matter also important. Engages in aerial dipping to surface, plunging from about one meter, surface dipping and upending. Feeds in intertidal zone, probing in mud with bill. Aerial foraging on swarming insects noted. Scavenges far less than most gulls, hence usually does not congregate near villages, but in winter joins other gulls at sewage outfalls. Breeding. Mar-May. Colonies of tens to thousands of pairs, often with terns. Preferentially selects open mud. Nests closely packed. 2-3 eggs, incubation 22 days. Chick pale grey to pale buff, variably patterned with dark brown or black spots on head and upperparts, with whitish breast and belly. First breeding at 2-3 years. Movements. Birds breeding in C Asia migrate, and mix with the more southerly birds in the Persian Gulf and along Arabian coasts. Most Black Sea birds winter in the Mediterranean, many off Egypt and Tunisia. Regular winter visitor to Red Sea. Populations from W Africa, Iberia, Persian Gulf and Pakistan not highly migratory, but generally some dispersal to nearby areas. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Estimated world population 75.000-110.000 pairs. Israel. In Israel subspecies Larus genei. Common passage migrant, uncommon winter and summer visitor, alomg Medierranean coast and at Eilat. |
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