| י259) שחפית צהובת-מקור | ||||||||||
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:שחפית צהובת-מקור שחפית גדולה, דומה לשחפית שחורת-מקור ולכתומת מקור . אבל גדולה מהן ומקורה צהוב , ניכרת במקורה החזק והארוך, רגליה השחורות ובציצה שלראשה . Thalasseus ציצה זו הנמצאת בעורפן של מספר שחפיות משייכת אותן לסוג . בית גידולה חופים באזורים טרופיים וסבטרופיים . מקננת באיים סלעיים או חוליים בלב ים ועל איי אלמוגים שטוחים . בארץ מבקרת באקראי נדירה במפרץ אילת ... ואת השחף ... ויקרא י"א, 16 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
T. b. bergii Namibia to South Africa. T. b. enigma \ambezi Delta, believed to nest on islands off Mozambique and Madagascar. T. b. thalassinus Tanzania, Seychelles, Aldabra and Rodrigues Is.. T. b. velox Red Sea and NW Somalia E to Myanmar, Maldives and Sri Lanka. W populations winter S to Kenya. T. b. cristatus Malaysia to Philippines and Ryukyu Is, and E Australia to Society Is. T. b. gwendolenae W and NW Australia. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Large tern with white forehead in breeding plumage, when has a glossy black cap and long crest. 43-50 cm, 320-400 g, wingspan 100-130 cm. Neck, underparts and secondaries white, latter contrasting with otherwise grey back and upperwing. Bill chrome yellow, sometimes tinged greenish at base, or entirely greenish yellow with irregular black blotches. feet black. Differs from T. bengalensis, with which often co occurs, in larger size and longer, yellower bill. Similar to T. maximus, but with darker upperparts, slimmer body, and more slender, cold yellow bill with steeper gonydeal angle. Races vary mainly in color tone of upperparts and amount of white on forehead. thalassinus and cristatus very dark above. velos with heaviest bill and body. thalassinus with broader white band on forehead. enigma palest, nomnate bergii with least white. Habitat. Tropical and subtropical coasts and oceanic islands. Nest of offshore islets in salt-pans and sewage. Forages in shallow waters of lagoons and barrier reefs, in estuaries, along beaches, and also well out to sea. Rests on buoys or on rocks and sandbars, often with other terns and gulls. Food and Feeding. Main diet on fish. Also opportunistically on squid, crabs, insects, baby turtles and other aquatic prey. Usually forages in small groups, flying 5 m above water and plunge-diving or contact-dipping. Occasionally engages in piracy, but more often a victim. Forages mostly within 3 km of colony. Breeding. May-Jun in Sudan and S Africa, Aug in Somalia, Apr-Jun in Indian Ocean and Dec-Jan in tropical Australia. Nest a shallow scrape in bare sand, rock or coral, nests close together, rims often touching. 1-2 eggs, incubation 25-30 days. Chick whitish with fine, sparse, black speckles. First breedingat age 3. Movements. Populations more or less resident around breeding areas. Race velox disperses mainly within its breeding range, but Middle East birds move S to E African coast after breeding, and winter mainly from Egypt to Kenya, overlapping with thalassinus. Australian berds disperse several hundred kilometres around colony. Nominate race overlap with enigma. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. World population estimated more than 600.000 pairs. Israel. In Israel subspecies T. b. velox. Accidental visitor in Gulf of Eilat. |
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