| י 344) סנונית רפתות | ||||||||||
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:סנונית רפתות . שכיחה ביותר באזורנו, שלושה סימני הכר בולטים בה זנבה מפורץ בצורה ניכרת, גחונה ומצחה בצבע החלודה . ולחלקי גופה העליונים ברק כחול . בית גידולה משתרע מאירופה, רוב אסיה, צפון אמריקה וצפון אפריקה . בית חיותה שטחים פתוחים. מתמרנת בזריזות אחרי חרקים המהווים את מזונה . נוהגת להמצא ולבנות את קינה ליד מגורי אדם . בארץ ישנם שני תת מינים עוברי אורח ומבקרי חורף נפוצים ברוב חלקי הארץ, ודוגרי קיץ שכיחים . יציב במרכז וצפון הארץ H. r. transitiva תת המין סנונית הרפתות היא הציפור הלאומית של אסטוניה ' הסנונית נזכרת בתלמוד במסכת שבת ע"ז ב | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
H. r. rustica from Europe, Asia Minor and Iraq east to Yenisey basin, W Altai mountains, China and N Africa east to Libya. H. r. transitiva Israel, Lebanon and S Syria. H. r. savignii Egypt. H. r. erythrogaster North America. H. r. tytleri southern Siberia to Olekma river, S to N Mongolia. H. r. gutturalis eastern Asia. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
17-19 cm, 13-20 g, wingspan 32-35 cm. Most attenuated hirundine of west Palearctic, less bulky than Red-rumped Swallow. Medium sized hirundine with classic form of small bill, wide gape, streamlined body, long wings, and long forked tail with outer feathers forming streamers in adult. Upperparts shiny blue-black. Underparts buff-white to red-buff, relieved by red chestnut face and throat and blue-black chest band and by noticeably dark undersurface of flight feathers and white spotted tail. Habitat. Breeds from subarctic through boreal, temperate, steppe, and Mediterranean zones in both continental and oceanic climates. Avoid and missing only from arctic tundra and desert belts. Entirely dependent on constant supply of small flying insects taken in fligt in lower airspace over surface, either of shallow water or clothed with low moist green vegetation. Usually avoids densely wooded, precipitous, arid, and densely built-up areas, preferring pasture grazed by large animals, meadows,and farm crops. Food and Feeding. Diet almost wholly based on flying insects. Significantly positively correlated with prey weight, food abundance, flight speed when foraging, and average daily temperature. Negatively correlated with time between nest visits, time spent actually foraging, and daily rainfall. Breeding. May-Aug in Europe, Mar in S Spain and N Africa. Nest on small ledge against vertical surface, beam or window-ledge in building, less often without support beneath. Nest is shallow half-cup or cup of mud pellets, usually mixed with plant material, with inner lining of feathers, building by both sexes. 4-5 eggs, elongated elliptical, smooth and glossy, white, lightly marked with red-brown spots, plus some lilac and grey. Incubation 15-25 days, mainly by female. Movements. Migratory. West Palearctic birds are long distance migrants, similar migratory regimes apply in Asia and North America. European and N-W Asian birds winter largely in Africa, though some in coastal Arabia and in Pakistan. In Africa, main wintering areas are south of equator, though also locally numerous in West Africa. Levant race transitiva probably a partial short distance migrant. Winter specimens attributed to this population have been claimed from Egypt, Sudan, East Africa and Zambia. Race savignii resident. Populations of southern Palearctic Asia winter in southern Asia from India, Malaysia, and Indonesia to Japan and Melanesia. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Fluctuating, declines noted in Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark, Rumania end Israel, but in Britain abut 500.000 to 1.000.000 pairs and Franche over 1 million pairs. Declining, mainly due to habitat changes. Israel. In Israel two subspecies H. r. rustica commonest form on passage, but a few in winter in most parts. Race transitiva a common breeder, resident and summer visitor in northern and central Israel. |
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