| י 346) סנונית מערות | ||||||||||
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:סנונית המערות דומה לסנונית הרפתות בצורתה החיצונית, נבדלת ממנה בצבע החלודה . שעל עורפה ושתה. גחונה לבנבן והחזה מפוספס בקוים חומים עדינים . אברות הכנף והזנב שחומות עם ברק כחלחל-ירקרק , בית גידולה משתרע מדרום ומזרח אסיה ועד לפיליפינים . בצפון אפריקה ומדרום לקו המשווה, באירופה בחצי האי האיברי ובבלקן , ניתו לראותה באזורים הרריים בינות לצוקים , נקיקים ומערת . שם היא צדה את מזונה - חרקים מעופפים . בארץ עוברת אורח שכיחה ברוב חלקי הארץ, נדירה כמבקרת חורף ושכיחה כדוגרת קיץ . 'הסנונית נזכרת בתלמוד במסכת שבת ע"ז ב | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
c. d. rufula S Europe and N Africa, east through Middle East to Tien Shan mountains and Kashmir. c. d. japonica Japan, Korea, Ussuriland south through Manchuria to C China. c. d. nipalensis Himalayas to Tibet and Myanmar. c. d. erythropygia India to W Bengal. c. d. hyperythra Sri Lanka. c. d. domicella Senegambia and Guinea E to Sudan and Ethiopia. c. d. kumboensis Sierra Leone and Cameroon. c. d. melanocrissus Ethiopia and Aritrea. c. d. emini Sudan, Uganda and Kenya to Zambia and Malawi. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
16-17 cm, 15-20 g, wingspan 32-24 cm. Superficially resembles Barn Swallow, but told by bulkier, pale chestnut rump and nape, marginally shorter and slightly more rounded wings, and slightly shorter, blunter, and less wire like tail streamers. Plumage differs most obviously in lack of dark chest-band and of white spots in tail, and in presence of, and in presence of pale rufous rump area, blak under tail coverts, and chestnut nape. Habitat. Breeds in lower middle latitudes in warm temperate, steppe, and especially Mediteerranean zones, extending into oceanic climates, from sea-level in south-west Spain to over 1 km in Cyprus, where sea-cliffs and caves are occupied as wel as mountains. Winters in dry African grasslands, or in cultivation and forest clearings. Food and Feeding. Mainly invertebrates. Takes airborne prey by aerial pursuit, up to 100 m or more. Hunting flight involves more steady gliding and less rapid wing-beats. Recorded descending to camel dung to eat flies, and seen taking termites from ground in rainy weather. Breeding. Apr-Sep in Spain, May-Jul in Greece and Bulgaria, Apr-Jul in N Africa. Nest site, overhanging rock ledge, inside cave, under bridge or culvert, or in ruined building, etc. Nest rounded bowl attached to overhanging, usually horizontal surface, with extended entrance tunnel also along surface. Constructed of mud pellets reinforced with plant and grass stems, lined softer vegetation, wool, and feathers. 3-5 eggs, long, sub-elliptical, smooth and slightly glossy, white, occasionally with fine red-brown speckling. Incubation 14-15 days by both sexes. Movements. Northern populations migratory. African races occupying northern savanna zone and East Africa are mainly resident. Populations of Himalayas and south-east Asia are migratory, overlapping in winter in S Asia from the Indian subregion to S China and Indonesia. European and S-W Asia birds remains unconfirmed, presumed to lie in savanna zone of northern Afrotropics, where birds inseparable in the field from resident Africa populations. Pronounced spring and autumn passage across Straits of Gibraltar. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Commonest in their habitats, and spreading north in Spain, France, Italy, Rumania and Bulgaria. Israel. In Israel subspecies H. d. rufula fairly common passage migrant and very rare winter visitor in central and southern Israel. Common breeding summer visitor in most Mediterranean and Semi desert in Central and north parts. |
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