| י 311) שלדג לבן-חזה | ||||||||||
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:שלדג לבן חזה . שלדג בינוני בגודלו, בולט בניגודי צבעיו כחול, ערמון ולבן . מקורו הגדול ורגליו אדומים. ראשו, עורפו, כתפיו החזה, הבטן וחלק מכנפיו ערמוניים . הגב, שאר חלקי הכנפים והזנב בצבע כחול מתכתי. הגרון והחזה לבנים - מכאן שמו . בית גידולו, מגוון רחב של מקווי מים עם צמחיה ועצים על גדותיהם . מזונו מורכב מלבד דגים, מחסרי חוליות, זוחלים מכרסמים ואף מציפורים קטנות . בארץ יציב, מצוי ושכיח במרכז וצפון הארץ, נדיר בדרום . | ||||||||||
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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. H. s. smyrnensis W and S Turkey S to NE Egypt, and from C Iraq E to Pakistan, NE Afghanistan and NW India. H. s. fusca India and Sri Lanka E to SE China and Taiwan, and S to Sumatra and W Java. H. s. saruratior Andaman Is. H. s. gularis Philippines. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
A medium sized, noisy, with long tail and large red bill kingfisher. 26-28 cm, 75-110 g, wingspan 40-43 cm. Distinctive dark chestnut, blue and white bib plumage. Male of nominate race has dark chestnut head, flanks and belly, white throat and breast, blue back, wings and tail. Lesser wing coverts, cedian coverts dark blue, white patch at base of black primaries obvious in flight. Bill red, iris dark brown, orbital skin red, legs and feet dusky red. Female slightly paler head and belly. Juvenile duller, breast with fine dark scallops. Race fusca smaller, slightly darker, less green tinge in blues, race saturatior darker browns, and gularis only chin and throat white. Habitat. Varied: swamps, ponds, canals, dams, mudflats, beaches with trees, farmland, large gardens, dry deciduous forest and roadside trees. Usually avoids dense forest except for clearings. Food and Feeding. Wide variety of prey, include insects like grasshoppers and crickets, earwigs, cockroaches, bugs, beetles, also crabs and crustaceans, earthworms, fish, frog and roads, lizards, snakes, birds and rodents. Typical sit and wait predator, spends long periods on perch up to 10 m above ground (before diving head first or landing feet first), can hover for a moment over water before snatching prey. Breeding. Jun in Egypt, Apr-May in Israel and Iraq, Jan-Aug in India, Dec-Aug in Malaysia and Mar-Apr in Thailand, Sumatra and Philippines. Monogamous. Drop in water level may be external stimulus for laying, sometimes double-brooded. Nest usually in earthen bank of ditch, stream, river, pond or road cutting, sometimes in termitarium, rock crevice, (in Israel sometimes in nest hole of bee-eater). Nest-chamber at end of inclined tunnel 30-150 cm long. 5-6 eggs, both parents incubate, period 18-20 days, and both also feed chicks. Movements. Populations of Middle East across to S China and Hong Kong, exhibit partial short-distance migration, with seasonal changes in abundance, probably involving mostly juveniles. Vagrants recorded in Greece, Cyprus, various Middle East countries including Syria, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, also former USSR. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Generally common throughout its range, and locally abundant. Israel. In Israel subspecies H. s. smyrnensis. Common resident in central and northern parts, scarce in southern parts of the country. |
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