| י 410) צוקית חכלילית | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
:צוקית חכלילית | הניגוד העז שבין הכחול והצבע הערמוני של הזכר . מבליטו מבין כל ציפורי ההרים. כנפיו שחומות כהות . הנקבה חומה ומנומרת ודומה לנקבת צוקית בודדת הכהה ממנה . המקור שחור והרגלים חומות בית גידולה משתרע בהרים בדרום האזור הפלארקטי, מספרד . דרך דרום אירופה והמזרח התיכון ועד לאסיה המרכזית בית חיותה נופים סלעיים פתוחים על מדרונות הרים . שטופי שמש, לעיתים בין חורבות . בארץ עוברת אורח לא שכיחה עד נדירה ברוב חלקי הארץ בעיקר ההרריים . דוגרת קיץ נדירה בחרמון
Subspecies and Distribution.
| Monticola saxatilis N-W Arica, accross S Europe to N Middle East, C Asia E to China. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
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18-19 cm, 50 g, wingspan 33-37 cm. Strong-billed, rather long-bodied, rock-haunting bird, with shape suggesting large short-tailed chat rather than thrush. Male essentially blue, black, and white above, with rufous body and tail. female basically buff, mottled and scaled except on rufous tail. Flight chat-like, with floating action. Furtive when breeding. Sexes dissimilar, marked seasonal variation in male only. Habitat. Breeds in west Palearctic in lower middle latitudes in continental warm temperate, steppe and Mediterranean montane zones, on sunny, dry often stony hollows or terraces, preferably dotted with stunted trees or shrubs serving as perches, Food and Feeding. Mainly large inscts, especially beetles, Lepidoptera larvae, and Orthoptera. Feeds mainly by flying from perch on to prey on ground, may eat several items while on ground, sometimes running or hopping a few meters between each before returning to perch. Breeding. Earliest eggs late Apr, main season May-Jun, apparently throughout range. Nest site, horizontal crevice in rock-face, wall, ruin, or crag, under boulder on steeply sloping ground, or occasionally in tree-hole. Nest, neat cup of grass, rootlets, and moss, lined with finer rootlets and moss. 4-5 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and glossy, pale blue, often unmarked, or with some faint speckles or red-brwon at broad end. Incubation 14-15 days by female only. Movements. Migratory. Most winter in Afrotopics birds from eastern China travelling at least 7500 km from breeding to wintering grounds. A few birds appear to winter in Africa north of Sahara and in Arabian peninsula. Main winterin area lies north and east of central African rain forests, from northern Nigeria and Cameroon E to Eritrea and from there S to at least S in Tanzania. Mediterranean populations of southern Europe and N-E Africa begin to disperse from breeding sites in Aug, most having left by late Sep. Appars to cross Sahara on broad front from Morocco to Sinai, butespecially common in central section. Asian populations breeding from E Mediterranean N-E to China, begin to leave breeding sites in Aug, passage continues in plains of Kazakhstan, and Tadzhikistan antio late Sep. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Has declined in some countries in Europe. Israel. In Israel subspecies Monticola saxatilis quite rare to scarce passage migrant, particularly in mountainous regions, also rare local breeding summer visitor on Hermon.
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