| י277) יונת סלעים | ||||||||||
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:יונת סלע . אם יונת הבית, דומה לה בגודלה וצורתה, אך אינה מגוונת בצבעיה כמותה . צבעה אפרפר-כחלחל, צווארה ירקרק מתכתי , על כנפיה שני פסים שחורים וקצותיהם אפורים, קשתית העין כתומה . ומסביב לעין עור אפור-כחלחל. המקור שחור, הדונגית לבנה ורגליה אדומות . בית גידולה, מצוקים וסלעים, מערות, וסלעים בקרבת הים, בקניונים ומורדות הרים . את מזונותיה מחפשת בנופים פתוחים שיש בהם מי שתיה . בארץ יציבה ומצויה בעיקר בצד המזרחי של קו פרשת המים ...יונתי בחגוי הסלע... שיר השירים ב' 14 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
P. o. orientalis Iberian Peninsula, Canary Is and NW Africa from Morocco to NW Libya also Cyprus, Israel, Anatolia and Armenia. C. l. livia British Is and W Mediterranean through Dalmatia and N Libya E to Urals, Caucasus and W Sibera. C. l. atlantis Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde Is C. l. canariensis Canary Is and islands off Morocco. C. l. gymnocyclus Mauritania, Mali, Ghana and coastal Senegambia and Guinea. C. l. targia C Sahara to C Sudan C. l. dakhlae Dakhla and Kharga Oases. C. l. butleri Red Sea Province and Egyptian Sudan. C. l. schimperi Nile valley, Red Sea hils to Eritrea. C. l. palaestinae Israel, Sinai and Arabia S to Aden and Masqat. C. l. intermedia India and Sri Landa. C. l. gaddi Azerbaijan, Iran, Afghnistan and Uzbekistan. C. l. neglecta Turkestan to Iran, Sind and Tibet. C. l. intermedia India and Sri Lanka C. l. nigricans Mongolia and N China. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Ancestor of feral pigeon, can be found almost anywhere associated with human habitation. 30-34 cm, 190-200 g, wingspan 63-68 cm. General color bluish grey, darkest on head and rump, palest on wing. Two black bars conspicuous on folded wing. Black terminal band on tail. Underwing and lower back white, latter sharply separated from dark grey rump. Neck and upper breast suffused with purple and green iridescence, with each feather bifurcated. Iris varies from orange to red-orange. Orbital skin blue-grey. Bill black, cere white. Legs red. Female slightly duller grey with less neck iridescence. Juvenile duller still, with dull eyes and feet. Race atlantes is a chequered from, probably of domestec origin. Race canariensis smaller and darker than nominate. gymnocyclus typically very dark, with smaller and grey rumped. dakhlae very pale, butleri is a paler version of targia, schimperi small and pale with lower back grey. Race palaestinae larger and darker than schimperi, and gadde like palaestinae but larger with paler back. Race neglecta is a darker version of dominate, and intermedia differs in lacking white patch on back. nigricans variable, possibly of domestic origin. Habitat. Usually rock faces where birds nest. sometimes on ledges in caves and sea cliffs, can be found at sites where rocks, some vegetation and a source or water occur together. In Israel, found on steep rocky slopes and in canyons. Avoids areas of tall and dense vegetation. Feral form is commensal with man, particularly abundant in cities. Food and Feeding. Birds feed typically on grains, such as Avena, Hordeum and Triticum and variouw weeds including Atriplex, Chenopodium, Polygonum, Ranunculus, Rumex, and Stellaria. Sometimes invertebrates also taken, including moth larvae and pupae, snails and slugs. Breeding. Season varies from region to region, Mer-Apr in Mediterranean, Mar-May in Cyprus, Apr-May in Britain. Colonial breeder. Nest consists of a cup loosely fashioned from stems, leaves, roots, driftwood and feathers. 2 eggs, up to 5 broods may be produced per year. Incubation 16-19 days. Movements. Although domestic form has been used in studies of migration and homing, sometimes form hundreds of kilometres. Natural populations are resident and sedentary. In seasonally arid regions, may make local movements to more hospitable climes. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Greatest threat to the species is that natural populations are interbreeding with feral pigeons in many areas. Israel. In Israel subspecies C. l. palaestinae. Common resident, mainly in Eastern part of the country, from the Golan, Galilee, Shomron, Judean Desert through central and southern Negev to Eilat mountains. |
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