| י285) תורית זנבנית | ||||||||||
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:תורית זנבתנית . הקטן והעדין בין תורי ארצנו, ניכר בזנבו הארוך והמדורג. הזכר והנקבה שונים לנקבה פנים וצואר אפרפרים, שאר חלקי גופה העליונים . חומים אפרפרים בהירים וכן גחונה . הזכר מצחו, לחייו, גרונו וחלקו העליון של חזהו שחורים . שאר חלקי גופו העליונים אפרפרים כחלחלים והבטן לבנה . קשתית העין חום כהה, מסביב העין עור חשוף בצבע סגלגל-אפור . המקור אדום וקצהו כתום. הרגלים אדומות-סגולות . בית גידולה סוונות, אזורים פתוחים, חוליים ויבשים. מלווים עשב, שיחים, ועצים בודדים . בארץ יציבה ונדירה בערבה ליד אילת, נראה שהתאקלמה בארץ לאחרונה ... וקול התור נשמע בארצנו ... שיר השירים ב' 12 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
O. c. capensis sub Saharan Africa, Socotra and Arabia, recently established in Israel. O. c. aliena Madagascar. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Unmistakable dove. The smallest dove in the Middle East. 28 cm, 30-54 g, wingspan 30-32 cm. Forehead, face, throat and front of breast black with narrow greyish white border. Rest of head, sides of neck and breast, and most wing coverts bluish grey. Hindneck, mantle, inner wing coverts, scapulars and inner secondaries light fawn to brown. Iridescent 2-5 purple or dark blue spots on wings. Back and rump dull drab brownish, lower back with horizontal pale band bordered by two black bands. underwing black and chestnut, long central tail feathers dull silver grey at base becoming black towards tip. Female has color pattern similar to Blue-spotted, Emerald-spotted and Black-billed Wood-dove. Race aliena smaller, darker and greyer. Habitat. Open areas suc as acacia savanna and thornfield, notablyin sandy areas, also grassland with bushes, open areas in riparian situations and cultivated areas, avoids forest. Found in tropical and subtropical lowlands, up to 1500 m. Food and Feeding. Diet mainly based on herb seeds, often wind-borne and small grass. Rarely takes invertebrates such as insects and snails. Occurs singly, in pairs and, on some occasions, in flocks of hundreds or thousands near water or good food sources. Breeding. All year around in most areas, but in E Africa peaks in dry season or late rainy season. Mar in Arabia, May in Israel and Sep-Mar in Madagascar. Nest is small platform, average 3 m above ground. 2 pale yellow eggs, incubation 13-16 days, by both adults. Movements. Some populations sedentary, but there are seasonal and perhaps even nomadic movements in some areas. Some populations are highly migratory. Populations of Israel, some of Arabia and probably those of SE Egypt mostly move S to winter. In Israel, arrives mid-Mar, most birds moving S to winter in Sep-Oct. Nomadic in Nigeria and elsewhere in W Africa. In Sudan most birds move N to breed during rainy season. Populations of Zanzibar make daily trips to mainland during dry season. Vagrant to Sierra Leone, Burundi, Canary Is, Jordan, E Arabian Peninsula, and doubtfully Syria. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Widespread and common throughout much of its extensive range. Israel. In Israel subspecies O. c. capensis. Very rare during winter in Arava Valley, Scarce local breeding summer visitor, and occasional visitor to northern Negev. |
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