י 333) עפרוני מצויץ

Crested Lark
Crested Lark
Crested Lark










Galerida cristata
Galerida cristata
Galerida cristata


:עפרוני מצויץ
נראה מגושם, וצבוע בצבע חום-אפרפר מפוספס, צבעו משתנה לפי
. אזורי מחיתו, מחום חולי ועד לאפור בזלתי
. זנבו קצר ואברותיו החיצוניות בצבע החול ולא לבנות
. בשעת מעופו מתגלה כתם חולי בתחתית כנפו
. לנקבה הציצה קצרה משל הזכר
. בית גידולו ממרכז אירופה ועד לקו המשווה באפריקה ומשם למרכז אסיה
, בנופים פתוחים טרשיים וחוליים, במדבריות למחצה, ואדיות
. נאות מדבר וגם בסביבת כפרים וערים
. בארץ ישנם שלושה תת מינים. יציבים בכל חלקי הארץ
... כנף רננים נעלסה ... איוב לט' יג
Subspecies and Distribution.
European Group. G. c. cristata C Europe south to N-W Spain, N-E Italy, N Yugoslavia and N-W Hungary. USSR: Baltic republics, Belorussiya, and N Ukraine east to kiev. G. c. pallida Iberia (except N-W Spain). G. c. kleinschmidti Morocco S to Raabat. G. c. neumanni Itali from Toscans to Rome. G. c. apuliae S-E and S I taly and Sicily. G. c. meridionalis Yugoslavia, albania, bulgaria Greece, and westernmost Asia Minor. G. c. cypriaca Rhodos and Cyprus. G. c. tenuirostris N-E Yugoslavia, E Hungary, Rumania and S European USSR, E to Ural R, & Caucasus. G. c. caucasica Caucasus, W-C Trancaucasia, N-E Turkey.
African Group. G. c. riggenbachi W Morocco. G. c. carthaginis coastal N-W Africa. G. c. randonii Algeria to E Morocco. G. c. macrorhyncha N Algerian Sahara. G. c. arenicola N-E Algerian Sahara, S Tunisia and Tripolitania. G. c. helenae S-E Algeria & S-E Libya?. G. c. festae Benghazi to Tobruk.
Sudan Arabian Grup. G. c. nigricans Nile delta. G. c. maculata Cairo-Aswan & Alexandria-Suez Canal. G. c. halfae Nile valley. G. c. brachyura N-E Libya, N-W Egypt, Egyptian Red Sea coast, Sinai, Israel, Jordan and N Arabia to Iraq. G. c. cinnamomina from M Carmel to Beirut. G. c. Zion from Jerusalem to Lebanon, Syria & S Turkey. G. c. subtaurica C Turkey. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
17 cm, 40-45 g, wingspan 30-38 c. Medium sized lark, with long spiky crest on rear crown, portly character on ground stemming most from usually deep belly and rather short tail. Distinctly bulkier about head and body, with rather long, strong bill and rather short, broad tail. Plumage pattern and colors, stronger facial marks, heavy moustaches, more open chest streaks on paler ground, more uniform upperparts and buff outer tail feathers.
Habitat.
Widely spread across and beyond continental west Palearctic, from fringe of boreal zone through desert zones, including oases. Prefers lowland plains and levels, although ascending in Atlas and Switzerland mountains.
Avoids mountainous, broken, forested, wetland, muddy, and most coastal terrain, and is more of a steppe bird in Africa than in Asia.
Food and Feeding.
Mainly dite based on plant material and fewer invertebrates in winter.
Most food taken from on or below ground surface. Digs with blows of bill to left and right. Will take insects by aerial-pursuit and stripping wings off before eating body.
Breeding.
Mar-Jul in W Germany and France, Apr-Jun in Spain, Mar-Jun in N Africa, mid Apr in S USSR, mid Mar in Saudi Arabia.
Nes on ground in the open, or in shelter of low shrub or tussock, also under low bank. The nest is shallow depression with untidy lining of grass or other vegetation. New nest built for each clutch by female only, taking 2-4 days.
3-5 eggs, smooth and glossy, off-white to grey white,finely spotted and speckled buff-brwon abd grey. Incubation 11-13 days by female only, though male may stand covering eggs while female away from nest.
Movements.
Mainly resident in Europe, even as far north as Sweden, though number of stragglers to Baltic coasts, Norway, W German and Dutch Frisian Islands, and Britain show that some birds move. Largely migratory in north of USSR breeding range.
Mainly resident elsewhere, some dispersal occurs, but scale uncertain. Apparently sedentary in North Africa, Middle East, and northern India, where birds show much subspeciation and adaptation of plumage color to that of local soils.
Status and Conservation.
Not globally threatened. Decreased in central and north Europe.
Israel.
In Israel three subspecies G. c. cinnamomina in west and central Galilee and on the Carmel.
G. c. zion in northern and central Israel, and fom Shomron mountains, Golan and Jordan hills.
G. c. brachyura in steppes of the Negev, Arava, Dead Sea Depression along Jordan River Valley.

G. c. zion
(in Israel)

G. c. brachyura

(in Israel)

G. c. suntaurica

G. c. suntaurica

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