| י284) צוצלת | ||||||||||
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:צוצלת . קטנה מהתור המצוי ודומה לו . זנבה ארוך יותר וכנפיה קצרות יותר . גופה בצבע חום ורדרד, צידי צוארה מנוקדים בשחור כנפיה כהות וקדמת כנפיה בגוון כחול-אפור. זנבה ארוך והנוצות המרכזיות . חומות-זית, שאר הנוצות שחורות בבסיסן ולבנות בקצה , מקורה קצר עדין ושחור, קשתית העין חומה והעין עטורה טבעת אדומה . רגליה קצרות וצבועות בחום-אדום . בית גידולה אזורים יבשים במרחק של עד 10 ק"מ ממקור מים . דוגרת על עצים ואת מזונה מלקטת מעל פני הארץ . בארץ יציבה ברוב אזורי הארץ מו הים ועד המדבר ... השתא כביעתא דציצלא לא משכחינן ... בבא בתרא עה, ע"א | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
S. s. phoenicophila S of Atlas in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. S. s. aegyptiaca Nile Valley, from Suez Canal to Wadi Halfa. S. s. sokotrae Socotra Is. S. s. senegalensis sub Saharan Africa and W Arabia from Medina to Aden. S. s. cambayensis E Arabia and E Iran to Kazakhstan and NW China, and E to Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Introduced to Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Malta probably by Arabs (they enjoy to ear theirs songs), and Australia . םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
A small, dark dove and the one that is likely to be encountered most often in villages and towns throughout the region. 27 cm, 70-91 g, wingspan 40-45 cm. Head, neck and breast mauve-pink, merging into cremy white belly which passes into white undertail coverts. A broad band of bifurcated display feathers on front and sides of neck, each feather black basally with golden copper tips. Mantle, scapulars and inner wing coverts rusty red-brown, outer wing coverts blue-grey to slate. Primaries dark grey-brown edged white to buff. Lower back and rump dark slate-blue with brown admixed. Iris dark brown, bill dark grey-brown, legs purple-pink. Female similar butusually duller. Race aegyptiaca slightly larger, darker and redder, phenicophila tends to be larger and duller than nominate. Race sokotrae smaller, with a brighter pink head, and cambayensis very distinct, smaller and duller than nominate, lacks rusty hue and has reduced amount of blue grey on rump. Habitat. In Africa, occupies dry habitat but tends to stay within 10 km of water. Generally found in wooded savanna, villages and urban gardens, but commonest in acacia woodland. Indian populations occupy dry deciduous biotope and margins of semi desert. Introduced populations in SW Western Australia thrive near towns. Food and Feeding. Most of diet based on seeds, but species also takes entire sunflower seeds or grains of maize, also eats fruits and nectar. Sometimes some insects are taken including ants, termites, fly larvae and pupae. Food is taken on the ground, the birds foraging close to shrubs, rarely plucks fruit or grain directly from plants. Generally solitary or in pairs or in flocks of 3-4, but hundreds may gather near water. Breeding. Feb-Jun in Africa, but all months in Senegal, Gambia to Zimbabwe and S Africa. Jan- Oct in India. Nest is a frail, thin platform of roots, twigs, and petioles. Placed in bush or tree up to 15 m above the ground. Same nest may be used more than once, and some doves use old nests of other birds. 2 white eggs, incubation 12-13 days. Movements. Partially migratory in parts of Africa, and in places seasonal movements have been documented. Indian populations are also partially migratory. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Widespread and common in many parts of huge natural range. Israel. In Israel three subspecies S. s. senegalensis, S. s. phoenicophila and S. s. aegyptiaca. Abundant resident throughout the country. |
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