| י 317) כחל מצוי | ||||||||||
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:כחל מצוי . עוף הדומה לעורב שרוב צבעיו בגוני הכחול ורק גבו נצבע ערמוני . על כנפו כתם כחול בהיר, בזמן מעופו הכנפים נראות כחולות ושחורות בשוליהן . הראש התכול, גדול יחסית ולו מקור גדול, חום-שחור, קצה המקור העליון כפוף כלפי מטה . קשתית העין חומה, הרגל קצרה חומה-ירקרקה וכן האצבעות . בית גידולו אזורים פתוחים וגלויים שטופי שמש וחמים, המלווים בשיחים ועצים פזורים . בארץ שני תת המינים עוברי אורח שכיחים למדי ברוב חלקי הארץ . דוגרי קיץ די מצוים במרכז וצפון הארץ ... וצווח ריש לקיש כי כרוכיא ... קידושין מד, ע"א | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
C. g. garrulus NW Africa, SW, SC and E Europe and Asia Minor E through NW Iran to SW Siberia. C. g. semenowi Iraq and Iran E to Kashmir, N to Turkmeniya, S Kazakhstan and NW China. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
Large and colorful bird, being iridescent blue, black and chestnut. 31-32 cm, 125-160 g, wingspan 66-71 cm. Roller without tail streamers, proportionately larger headed than most congeners, and in flight appears long-necked. Nominate race with head, neck amd underparts light blue, whitish around base of bill, and short, thin blackish eyestripe. Rufous brown upperparts, with back, rump and tail-coverts ultramarine blue. Wing coverts greenish-blue, marginal ones purple, primary coverts and bases of primaries azure-blue, remiges otherwise black. Tail greenish-blue with darker base, central feathers greyish. Race semenowi slightly paler than nominate. Habitat. Warm and sunny lowlands, in open countryside with patches pine or oak woods with heathery clearings, orchards, mixed farmland, broad river valleys, and dissected plains with scattered thorny or leafy trees. Food and Feeding. Diet mainly invertebrates: beetles and other hard-bodied insects, and some small vertebrates. Exceptionally, fruits such as grapes and figs eaten. Many live scorpions taken, and species may be and accomplished scorpion predator. Several other prey items are distasteful: stink-grasshoppers and carabid, lampyrid and silphid beetles. Forages mostly from elevated perch, watching ground intently. Breeding. Mau-Jul. Monogamous, solitary and territorial, with typical rolling and diving aerial display. Nest site an unlined cavity in a large tree, building, cliff or riverbank. 4-5 eggs, incubation by female, 17-19 days. Chick hatches naked and blind, has closed spiny feather sheaths by 13th day. Movements. Almost entire world population wintering in Africa S of Sahara. In autumn has occurred in great abundance in Algeria and Morocco, though only small numbers winter in W Africa. Strong passage up Nile Valley and on W coast of Red Sea, also Arabia. Winters mainly in E and SW Africa from Kenya to Namibia. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. European population estimated in 1990's at 24.000 pairs and 2.500.000 estimated throughout E Africa. Israel. In Israel two subspecies C. g. garrulus and C. g. semenowi. Quite common passage migrant over all the country and quite common breeding summer visitor. |
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