| י235) שחף כהה | ||||||||||
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:שחף כהה . בינוני בגודלו, ראשו וגרונו חומים כהים . גבו וכנפיו חומים שאר חלקי גופו אפרפרים לבנים . מקורו ירקרק צהוב וקצהו אדום שחור . סביב עינו טבעת אדומה ולרגליו צבע ירוק זיתי , בית גידולו חופי ים ואיים סמוכים לחוף . מסביב לחצי האי ערב וקרן אפריקה . נמצא בקרבת אוניות וספינות דיג, נוהג לשדוד מזון בדומה לחמסנים . בארץ מבקר אקראי נדיר בחוף אילת .. ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Larus hemprichii Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, E to S Pakistan, and S to N Kenya. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
45 cm, 400-500 g, wingspan 105-115 cm. Distinctive dark gull, with brown head and breast, white collar and greyish brown back and wings. Short white eyebrow, heavy bill ellowish green, with red and black tip, legs dull yellowish olive, iris brown, orbital ring red. In all plumages similar to White-eyed Gull but appears larger bodied, longer-winged and stouter-billed. Habitat. Maritime. Occurring and breeding along coasts and at islands. Commonly associates with fishermen, following boats and frequenting harbours.Frequently rests on piers, buoys and fishing boats. Food and Feeding. Mainly dead fish and offal. Sometimes tern eggs and cicks, and turtle hatchlings. Opportunistic, scavenges along shoreline, usually alone, but highly gregarious at times. Kleptoparasitic on conspecifics and other species. Serious predator of other sea birds. Rarely seen plunge-diving for fish. feeds mainly inshore and in intertidal zone, occasionally up to 150 km offshore, follows ships. Breeding. Jun-Jul. Colonial, occasionally solitary. Nest a slight depression with scant vegetation lining, on bare coral, often under bush or overhanging coral, or sheltered by tuft of vegetation. 1-3 eggs, incubation 25 days. Movements. Many remain in Red Sea throughout year. Post-breeding dispersal mainly S, as far as Mozambique. Common winter visitor to Kenya, summer visitor to Pakistan. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Total population probably under 100.000 pairs. Israel. In Israel subspecies Larus hemprichii. Accidental. All recorded and reported at Beach of Eilat. |
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