| י258) שחפית שחורת-מקור | ||||||||||
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:שחפית שחורת-מקור . שחפית בינונית בגודלה, בחורף מצחה לבן, כיפת ראשה, עורפה וציצת ראשה שחורים . צוארה לבן וחלקי גופה העליונים אפרפרים בהירים. בזמן מעופה נראית לבנה . רשתית העין חומה כהה, מקורה שחור וצהוב בקצהו, רגליה שחורות. זנבה מקודד במקצת . בתקופת הקינון מצחה משחיר וציצתה בולטת יותר . בית גידולה חופי ים נמוכים, גלויים, חוליים ללא צמחיה וליד מים חמים . לאחר הקינון חופים סלעיים, שפכי נהרות ונמלים . בארץ עוברת אורח ומבקרת חורף לא שכיחה לאורך חופי ים התיכון ומפרץ אילת ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
T. s. sandvicensis Europe E to Caspian Sea. Winters from Caspian, Black and Mediterranean Seas to coasts of W and S Africa, and from S Red Sea to NW India and Sri Lanka. T. s. acuflavidus E North America and through Antilles to S Caribbean. Winters from Caribbean S to S Peru and Uruguay. T. s. eurygnatha Local breeder in Cribbean, off Venesuela and French Guiana, and from E Brazil to S Argentina. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Medium-sized pale tern with black cap and crest. 35-45 cm, 130-300 g, wingspan 85-105 cm. Long slender bill, long pointed wings and moderately long, and forked tail. back and upperwigs pale ash grey. Rump and tail white. underparts white, sometimes tinged with pink. Primaries with white inner webs and silvery outer webs. Bill varies from black with yellow tip. Legs black, Occasionally yellow. Races differ only slightly.eurygnatha is mainly yellow-billed, but often with dark bill base, legs sometimes partly yellow, rarely all yellow. acuflavidus slightly smaller, with outer tips of outer primaries grey rather than wite. Habitat. Strictly coastal and mainly a warm-water species. favoured breeding sites are low-lying and subject to inundation, wind-blown sand. Prefers open, unvegetated sandy, muddy or bare coral substrates. Late breeders forced to nest closer to high tide line. Outside breeding season frequents sandy or rocky beach fronts, mangrove flats, estuaries and harbours. Food and Feeding. Diet entirely on fish, mainly menhaden and anchovies, sometimes sardines (Flying-fish in Caribbean). Also swoops to pick up marine worms from mudflats, and takes shorebird chicks. Plunge-dives for small fish, from up to 10 m. Feeds over fishing nets. Scavenges over sea lions and sometimes feeds over porpoise pods. Sometimes defend feeding territories along shore. Breeding. Depend on geographical zone. May-Jun in Europe, May in Curacao, Jun in Brazil and Dec in Argentina. Usually nests next to other terns or gulls. Nest a shallow scrape rimmed with excreta. 1-2 eggs, incubation 21-29 days. Chick whitish to buff, grey or brown, with few or heavy black speckles. Movements. European birds move S along W coast of Africa, to winter mostly in tropics, a few remaining in W Europe. Adults movs further S than young, the letter spending their 2nd year in Africa. Caspian Sea birds winter in the N Indian Ocean from S Red Sea to Pakistan, including Persian Gulf, but some remain in the Caspian and a few reach S India and Sri Lanka. Nort American birds move S through Caribbean and along both coasts of Central America to South America. Race eurygnatha winters in S Caribbean and along Atlantic coast to Argentina. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened.World population more than 100.000 pairs. Israel. In Israel subspecies T. s. sandvicensis. Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant along Mediterranean coasts and Gulf of Eilat. |
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