| י 322) צחיחן שחור-כיפה | ||||||||||
Sparrow-lark Sparrow-lark Sparrow-lark | ||||||||||
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:צחיחן שחור-כיפה . עפרוני קטן, שונה מבני מינו בניגוד הבולט בין הזכר לנקבה . לזכר: כיפתו, גחונו ופס גרונו שחורים בניגוד לגבו הצבוע בחום אפרפר . הנקבה: כשאר עפרוני המדבריות שצבעם חום חולי, אברות זנבה החיצוניות שחורות . המקור קצר ועבה מעיד שמזונו העיקרי זרעים . בית גידולו מדבריות וניזון מזרעים וחרקים, הצחיחן אינו זקוק למקור מים . בארץ מזדמן אקראי ונדיר בערבה ואזור אילת ... כנף רננים נעלסה ... איוב לט' יג | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
E. n. nigriceps Cape Verde Islands. E. n. albifrons S Sahara, E to Nile valley. E. n. melanauchen Red Sea coast and E to N India. E. n. affinis Iran to Pakistqn and N India. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
10-11 cm, wingspan 20-22 cm. Male, forehead white, cheeks, neck and nape grey-white, contrasting markedly with black crown, band through eye to bill. Rest of upperparts warm dun, with indistinct soft, dusky streaks on mantle and wing coverts, and paler grey-buff edges to tertials and wing coverts. Tail dark, with sandy-brown central feathers and black outer feathers. Undertail black. All upperparts except tail may bleach to stone color. Female, pale tawny above, buff-white below, indistinct brown streaks and mottling on upperparts, lower throat, and chest, showing only at close range. Tail and under wing coverts similar to male but underwing with less black. Juvenile, resembles adult female but feathers distinctly pale-edged on mantle and wing covwerts and faintly barred grey on drown. Habitat. Saharo-sahelian savannas, along lowland coastal belts with growth of herbage like Aristida and Panicum, also occasional Acacia trees. Associated soils tend to be fine and sandy, often in depressions or beds of wadis. Saline, stony, and rocky terrain, and broken or strongly sloping ground are avoided. Food and Feeding. Mainly, seeds and insects. Feeds either by picking up food from ground or from vetgetation. May run erratically and occasionally chases flying insects. Breeding. Sep-Jan in Cape Verde Is. Apr in Saudi Arabia. Mar in Yemen and Oman. Colonial nester in small groups of 20, up to 60 pairs. Nest scrape, depression or quite deep caup-shaped hole, lined wigh grass, hair, or feathers on base of fine twigs. 2-3 eggs, smooth and fairly glossy, greyish or dirty white. Incubation 11-12 days by both sexes but mainly by female. Movements. Resident and partial short-distance migrant. Nomadic tendency indicated by extensions to breeding range when conditions suitable. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Fairly common in Cape Verde Is. Israel. E. n. melanauchen. Occasional nomadic visitor in central and southern Arava Desert including Eilat area. |
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