| י 310) סיס הגליל | ||||||||||
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:סיס הגליל . סיס קטן בעל גוף חסון יחסית, כנפיו קהות בקצותן וזנבו רבוע . שתו לבן, רחב ובולט. ראשו שטוח, קשתית העין חומה כהה . המקור משולש, קצר, צבעו חום שחור וכפוף במקצת . הצוואר קצר, הסנטר והגרון לבנבנים, הכנפים ארוכות וצרות . הרגל קצרה וחזקה, ארבעת האצבעות פונות קדימה, הטפרים כפופים וחדים . בית גידולו מגוון בצורותיו וגובהו. פחות שכיח באזורים יבשים אבל נמצא בקרבת האדם . בארץ יציב שכיח למדי ברוב חלקי הארץ, דוגר קיץ בצפון ובבקעת הירדן וים המלח ... 'ותר וסיס ועגור שמרו את עת באנה ... ירמיה ח ז | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
A. p. brehmorum W Palearctic from Portugal E to Turkey and from Morocco to NW Egypt including Canary and Mdeira Ia. Winters in Sahel. A. a. galilejensis NW Africa E to Pakistan, and S of Sahara in E Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and NW Somalia. A. a. aerobates Mauritania E to Somalia and S to Transkei. A. a. bannermani Bioko, Principe and Sao Tome, in Gulf of Guinea. A. a. theresae W and S Angola to S Zambia and S through S Africa. A. a. affinis S Somalia to N Mozambique, and E to India S of Himalayas and E of Pakistan. A. a. singalensis S Inddia and Sri Lanka.םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Small swift with relatively chunky body, blunt wing-tips and square tail. 10-12 cm, 25 g, wingspan 31-34 cm. Black above, with slightly paler forehead and uppertail coverts, and very distinct broad white rump-patch, which extends onto lower part of flanks. Underparts blackish apart from inner wing and rounded white throat-patch. Differs from other Swifts in square-ended tail, rump patch broader than in House Swift. Race galilejensis very pale, especially on tail coverts and forehead, and aerobates darker than nominate, especially on wings and tail, with coastal population between Limpopo and Transkei darkest and largest within subspecies. Race theresae very like galilejensis but with slightly darker uppertail coverts, and bannermanidarkest race, with heaviest throat streaking. Race singalensis blacker than nominate, especially on head and uppertail coverts, some showing slight tail-fork. Habitat. Wide range of habitats, though less frequently in truly arid regions, and usually close to human habitation. From sea-level up to 3000 m. Food and Feeding. Insectivorous, including termites, ants, beetles, grasshoppers and a dragonfly. In India Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera and Arachnida. Rarely feeds very low but often forages at great height. Breeding. Feb-May in Mauritania, Oct-Jul in Senegal-Gambia and year-round in W African rainforest areas and Liberia, Mar-May in Sierra Leone, Jun-Jul in Sao Tome and Aug-Apr in South Africa. Nominate race breeds year-round in India except Nov-Feb, singalensis breeds mainly Mar-Jul, and galilejensis from Feb to Oct in Karachi. In Israel, fers brood hatches late Mar to early Apr and second Jun-Jul. Colonial. Nest a sturdy, untidy, vet internally neat and smooth, hemispherical bag of vegetable matter, mainly grass, down and small twigs, with feathers, agglutinated with saliva. Built in dense, often overlapping clusters with up to 3 entrances, sometimes communal. 1-3 eggs, incubation 22-24 days. Movements. Resident throughout tropics, and majority of W Palearctic and S African populations wholly or partly migratory. Pressent Turkey Mar-Sep only, and summer only also in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, otherwise partially migratory only in Middle East and N Africa. E populations of galilejensis may migrate through Arabia to Africa. Complex picture emerges from Israel, where resident N Israeli population disperses up to 100 km during Oct-Mar into areas wher it does not breed, small passage, presumably from outside Israel Sep-Dec and early Feb to mid May. Populations in S Africa may be partly migratory. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Huge population increase in Africa during 20th century. Israel. In Israel subspecies A. a. galilejensis. Common local resident and breeding summer visitor in north and east-central parts. |
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