| י265) שחפית שוניות | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
:שחפית שוניות . השחפית הכהה מבין השחפיות. לובן לחייה בולט . נבדלת בחורף משחפית הים במקורה השחור אדום ובצבע זנבה האפור . בקיץ נבדלת ממרומית לבנת-לחי בזנבה המקודד יותר ומקורה הדק . בית גידולה חופים טרופיים ולב ים . מקננת על איים חוליים, סלעיים או איי אלמוגים בקרבת החוף . בארץ מבקרת קיץ נדירה בחוף אילת ובאקראי בחופי ים התיכון ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
|
Subspecies and Distribution.
Sterna repressa Red Sea S to Somalia and Kenya, E through Persian Gulf and Oman to W India. Winters on coasts of Africa and Arabian Sea to SW India and Laccadives Is. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
|
Descriptive notes.
Darker than all other typical terns. 30-35 cm, 110-140 g, wingspan 110-140 cm. In breeding plumage recalling Whiskered Tern. Black forehead to nape, with white cheeks set off by ash grey underparts. dark ashy grey above, including upperwing, rump and tail. Bill dark red at base with blak tip, sometimes all black. Legs bright red to dark brownish red. Very similar toS. paradisaea and S. hirundo, especially in winter, but smaller, with shorter wing and legs, and chunkier appearance in flight. Non-breeding adult has head white, with black or dark brown areas around eye, and from ear-coverts across nape, with pale nuchal color. Habitat. A tropical coastal species, often found at sea, but very rare inland. Nests on rock, sand, gravel or coral islands. Forages mainly within 2-4 km of land, mainly over coral reefs. Food and Feeding. Diet based on small fish, and invertebrates. Feeds by plunge-diving, but more often by contact-dipping. Often lands on water, or walks in shallow water. Usually associates with predatory fish and marine mammals. Breeding. Jul-Sep in Egypt to Kenya, May-Jun in Sudan and Oman. In scattered colonies up to several hundreds pairs. Forms discrete, synchronous subcolonies on barren or sparsely vegetated areas. Nest a shallow scrape, often unlined. 2-3 eggs. Chick buffy above with black spots, whitish below with black chin, and buffy tinge to belly. Movements. Present Red Sea Apr-Spt, Egypt Apr-Nov, E Africathroughout year, Persian Gulf Sep-Apr. Egyptian birds may disperse N after breeding, making stopover near Hurghada, before migrating out of Red Sea. Common spring migrant along coasts of Pakistan and Kenya, but corresponding autumn migration probably offshore. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Total population estimated at 60.000 birds. Israel. In Israel subspecies Sterna repressa. Scarce summer and spring visitor, in Gulf of Eilat. Straggler to Mediterranean shore. |
| |||||||||
| HOME | NEXT | |||||||||