| י279) יונת ענק | ||||||||||
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:יונת ענק . הגדולה ביוני ארצנו, בזמן מעופה בולט גם הפס הלבן שבכנפיה . בזמן מעופה בולט גם הפס הלבן בצוארה , בחזהה צבעים פיזיקליים בגוון סגלגל . הצעירים כהים וצווארם אפור וחסר את הכתם הלבן . בית גידולה שולי יערות אורן ואלון, ניתן לראותה גם בקו העצים בהרי האלפים . במאה שעברה החלה לקנן גם בערים . בארץ מבקרת חורף נפוצה בצפון ומערב הארץ, עוברת אורח נדירה בשאר ימות השנה ... וכיונים אל ארובותיהם ... ישעיה ס' 8 . | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
C. p. azorica E and C Azores. C. p. maderensis Madeira (probably extinct). C. p. exclsa Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. C. p. palumbus Europe E to W Siberia and Iraq. Winters S to N Africa. C. p. Iranica S Transcaspia, N and W Iran. C. p. casiotis Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to N Afghanistan, N Pakistan ,NW India and Nepal. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
General color bluish grey. 40-45 cm, 280-680 g, wingspan 75-80 cm. Primaries black with pale edges, breast mauve-pink merging to creamy on belly. Flanks grey, feathers along edge of wing white, forming a band on open wing. Iridescent purple-pink and green feathers beside a white patch on each side or neck, rectrices grey with broad black terminal band. Pale greyish whie central band evident on underside of tail, but less conspicuous on upperside. Iris greenish white to pale golden. Orbital skin grey. Bill purplish pink basally, golden distally, cere white. Legs reddish purple. Races maderensis and azorica duller, with smaller neck patches. Race excelsa tends to be brigther, and iranica has bill whitish to pale yellow. Race casiotis has neck paches creamy buff rather than white. Habitat. Typically a species of ecotone in deciduous or coniferous woodland, sometimes up to tree-line in the Alps. In C Eurpe breeds on edge of old mixed pine and oke forests. In other places found in ash forests, also inhabits plantantions of exotics notably Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. Food and Feeding. Most of diet made up of plant matter, including green leaves, buds, flower, seeds, berries and root crops. Various invertebrates are also occasionally eaten, including earthworms, gall wasps, beetles, pupae of lepidoptera, spiders, slugs and snails. Takes most of food from ground, but also feeds in trees. Breeding. Season varies with zone, Feb-Sep. Nest consists of twigs, grasses and leaves. Nest become bulkier with repeated use. Placed up to 3 m above ground in fork of tree or on branch,in a creeper in tree, or rarely on ground in thick vegetation or under a hedge. 1-3 white eggs, incubation 17 days. Movements. N and E European birds mostly migratory, as are w siberian populations. W,C and S Europe partially migratory or resident. Populations living in middle Atlas Mts of Morocco fly daily to plains to feed, although some individuals may forage only 15-20 m from the nest. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatende. Very common in their life zones. Israel. In Israel subspecies C. p. palumbus. Fairly common winter visitor and scarce passage migrant, in low-lying areas of west-central and northern Israel. |
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