| י שחף כוזרי / שחף הים הכספי ( a252 | ||||||||||
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:שחף כוזרי . נהגו ליחסו כתת מין של השחף הכספי, כיום השיוך שונה . זהו שחף גדול, בעל ראש וגוף לבנים, קצות הכנפים לבנים ומעט שחורים . מקורו ארוך, צהוב עמוק וכתם אדום בהיר בקצה הלסת התחתונה . קשתית העין צהובה בהירה ומוקפת בטבעת אדומה . רגליו הצהובות, מבדילות אותו מהשחף הכספי הדומה לו מאוד . בית גידולו חופים חוליים או סלעיים, צמחי גדות נחלים על איים . לאחר הקינון מקוי מים בתוך היבשת ואף באזורים מדבריים למחצה . בארץ חולף מצוי ספט' - מאי בעיקר בחורף, לרוב באזור עכו . בשאר חלקי הארץ , לאורך מישור החוף בעיקר חוף אשדוד . ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
L. c. cachinnans Black Sea to Caspian Sea and E Kazakhstan. Winters S to SW Asia Meddle East and NE Africa. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
60-68 cm, 800-1500 g, wingspan 140-150 cm. Large white-headed, white-bodied gull, with grey mantle and upperwings, and black and white wingtips. In some 5%-10% of bires have pink or partly pink legs. despite the claim that yellow leg colour is a universal caractrisric of this species. Aviation recognizable adult, white wingtip windows very large, and the outermost feather, P10, an all-white edge. Furthermore, a narrow black edge of the wing, the wing pattern characteristic created with a lot of white and some black. Habitat. Breeds on rocky and sandy islands, beaches, cliffs, spits, and grassy or shrubby river islands. After breeding season coasts and inland habitats. In C Asia inhabits lakes in steppe and semi-desert. In W Europe, largely confined to coastal region, but locally also rivers and inland lakes. Food and Feeding. Diet varies, fish, invertebrates, mammals, refuse, scraps, offal, birds eggs and chicks. At Caspian Sea, main prey is susliks and other small rodents. Off Morocco, breeding birds fed on refuse, fish, insects, molluscs and a lizard. In Crimea mostly susliks and voles. Exploits human intrusion, seizing eggs when incubating birds flushed. Kleptoparasitic on L. audouinii, particularly when fishing vessels not active. Forages mostly by wading in intertidal zone, plunge-diving, and following ships. Breeding. Lays from mid Mar. Colonies of up to 8000 pairs, territorial throughout winter. Nests preferentially close to or under bushes, sometimes in bushes or dense copses of osier. Nest made of nearby vegetation, feathers, debris and old carcasses. Often builds or lines nest with eelgrass. 2-3 eggs, incubation 27-29 days. Chick similar to that of L. argentatus. Movements. Mainly sedentary or slightly dispersive. Birds from Balkans disperse locally as far as R Danube, French and Spanish breeders disperse overland to Atlantic and E along Mediterranean. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Mediterranean population increased during 20th century. Israel. In Israel two subspecies L. c. cachinnans Scarce to common passage migrant and winter visitor, near Mediterranean coast. Rare resident on northern Mediterranean shores and islands. |
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