| י 302) ינשוף עצים | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
:ינשוף העצים . דורס לילה בינוני בגודלו, ראשו גדול ועגול, צבעו הכללי חום וציציות אוזניו גדולות ובולטות . חלק גופו העליון שחום ומנומר בכתמי חום-צהבהב, גוניו משתנים עם הגיל. הנקבה כהה יותר . זר נוצות הפנים עגול וכהה. העינים כתומות, המקור עבה וארוך עטור זיפים ומאונקל בקצהו . הכנף ארוכה, רחבה ומעוגלת, הזנב ארוך ומלבני . הרגל והאצבעות ארוכות ומנוצות, ובעלות טפרים ארוכים, כפופים וחדים . בית גידולו יערות מחטניים או רחבי עלים, שדות עם עצים פזורים ופרקים . בזמן הדגירה בחורשים בקרבת שדות עשירי צמחיה ושיחים . בארץ יציב לא שכיח עד לא מצוי בחלקי הארץ המישוריים, מבקר חורף ועובר אורח נדיר ... 'ינשוף ועורב ישכנו בה ... ישעיה ל"ד יא | ||||||||||
|
Subspecies and Distribution.
A. o. otus Eurasia, from British Is and Iberia E to Sea of Okhotsk, S to Mediterranean islands, Middle East, N Pakistan and Japan, with isolated population in EC China. Also Azores, and morocco to NW Tunisia. A. o. canariensis Canary Is. A. o. tuftsi W Canada S to Mexico and S USA. A. o. wilsonianus From SC and SE Canda W in USA to N Oklahoma and Virginia. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
|
Descriptive notes.
Medium-sized owl with large, round head and conspicuous ear-tufts. 37 cm, 220-430 g, wingspan 90-100 cm. Rounded facial disc buff, with white inner eyebrows and lores. Eye orange, bill black, upperparts a mixture of black, brown, grey, buff and white. Wings long and rounded, with buff patch above and dark carpal crescent below. Tarsi and toes densely feathered. Female somewhat darker, especially on facial disc. Race canariensis darker than nominate. wilsonianus also darker, with more prominent barring below, rufous facial disc, yellow eyes, and tuftsi similar but not so dark. Habitat. Dense or brushy vegetation in open habitats, and in coniferous or deciduous forest near open meadows. During breeding season, inhabits dense vegetation adjacent to open areas such as grassland or shrubland, including open forest, from near sea-level to 2500 m. Nests and roosts in forest. Food and Feeding. Diet based on small mammals, occasionally birds, especially when following heavy snowfall. Nocturnal, occasionally crepuscular, usually during breeding. Hunts below canopy in open forest, active-search hunter, coursing back and forth with fast wingbeats, interrupted by short glides. Adaptations for silent flight well developed, including comb-like fringe on leading edge of outer two primaries, soft, hair-like fringe on trailing edge of reminges, and downy surface on dorsal side of remiges. Kills small mammals by biting back of skull. Breeding. Feb-Jul. Monogamous, occasionally polygynous. Solitary, aslo with tendency to nest in small colonies. Uses abandoned stick nest of other bird, sometimes lays in cavity in tree or cliff, or on ground. Male courtship involves zigzag flight around and through nest grove using deep wingbeats interspersed with glides and wing-claps. Also advertising song, which may coincide with female's nest call. 5-7 eggs, incubation 26-28 days, by female, taking only short breaks at night. Male feeds female throughout. Movements. Resident and migratory, migration poorly known. Nomadic in response to fluctuating prey numbers in N Europe, overwinters N to C Finland during years with abundant prey, otherwise migratory in most of Fenno-Scandia and across northernmost parts of Asian range. Birds breeding in Europe may winter as far S as Egypt, bul largely sedentary in S Europe, also populations of Azores and Canary Is. Asian breeders winter as far S as N India and Indochina. Spring and autumn movements in appropriate directions in USA suggest regular migration, presumably a regular migrant in N Canada. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. European population estimated at 500.000 birds. Israel. In Israel subspecies A. o. otus. Uncommon resident in most of low-lying regions of the country. |
| |||||||||
| HOME | NEXT | |||||||||
