| י 479) מלכילון אורנים | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
:מלכילון אורנים | , הציפור הקטנה ביותר בממלכה ההולארקטית . משמשת כציפור הלאומית של לוכסנבורג , צבעה הכללי ירוק. על קודקודה פס צהוב-כתום ששוליו שחורים , העין שחורה ובולטת על הרקע הבהיר של הפנים . המקור עדין ודק ועל הכנפים ישנם שני פסים לבנים . בית גידולו משתרע על פני אירופה ובאיים האזורים , בית חיותו חורשים ויערות, שדות עם עצים פזורים וגנים . חורף בינות לשיחים הרחק מיערות של עצי מחט . בארץ מבקר חורף נדיר עד נדיר ביותר במרכז וצפון הארץ
Subspecies and Distribution. | R. r. regulus Europe and Turkey, EE to region of Tomsk. R. r. azoricus Sao Miguel (Azores). R. r. sanctae-mariae Santa Maria (Azores) R. r. teneriffae Canary Is. R. r. buturlini Caucasus Eto Azerbaydzhan and Crimea. R. r. hyrcanus N Iran and Caspian districts. R. r. coatsi C Asia E of nominate. Four further races in Asia. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
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9 cm, 5-6 g, wingspan 13-15 cm. Smallest bird of west Palearctic, with compact but essentially warbler-like form and busy tit-like behaviour. Plumage essentially olive above and and buff-white below, with two white wing-bars. Dark eye set in pale face is more noticeable than black-edged yellow/orange-centred crown. Flight lighter than even smallest Phylloscopus warbler. Hovers frequently. Moves restlessly among foliage. Sexes rather similar, no seasonla variation. Habitat. Breeds in middle and upper temperate and boreal latitudes of west Palearctic. Inbreeding season, strictly arboreal, attached to more or less dense stands of well-grown conifers, whether in lowlands or on mountains up to treeline. Prefers spruce, silver fir, and mountain pine, and in artificial situations also Douglas fir and some other introduced conifers are less attractive. Character and height of undergrowth irrelevant, but in mountains apparently prefers woods on sunny side. Will inhabit broad-leaved woods only when at least a few spruce or firs are mixed in, and will colonize parks, cemeteries,and similar artificial areas only when they offer suitable conifers which are not otherwise locally available. Food and Feeding. Insects and spiders. Food obtained mainly from twigs in tree-crowns, less often from herb layer or ground. After breeding season, forages in upper and middle tree layer, and from Nov also feeds in undergrowth and on ground. After snow-fall, forages in all forest layers, and during Nov-Dec will feed intensively on snow surface, taking wind-blown insects and some seeds. Stops visiting lower forest layers after snow-melt. Breeding. May late Jul in Scandinavia, Britain and W Europe. Nest site, typically suspended in twigs near end of conifer branch, especially spruce and fir, rarely or locally in fork of branches, or on side branch at junction with trunk of small tree. Other evergreen plants used where conifers absent. Nest, almost spherical cup of moss, lichens, cobwebs, feathers, and hair in three distinct layers outer layer of cobwebs, moss, and lichens, with cobwebs used first to form link between twigs, middle layer of moss and lichens, and lining of feathers and hair, small entrance at top often restricted by close proximity to twigs or branch above, and by rim of inward pointing feathers. 9-11 eggs, sub-elliptical smooth and glossy, white to very pale buff, with very fine buff-brown, purplish, or grey-brown speckles, mainly at broad end forming ring or cap. Incubation 15-17 days, by female only. Movements. Resident to migratory. Movement both nocturnal and diurnal. European race, nominate, winters within and south of breeding range in Fenno-Scandia and USSR. Many British birds are resident, but considerable dispersal occurs, chiefly to S-E, perhaps occasionally across English Channel and often across Irish Sea. British population markedly increased in winter by north European immigrants. In much of continental Europe, arrivals and passage from further north mask movements. Locally more widespread winter than summer, from Italy and north-east Spain. Winters south to Mediterranean region, regular in small numbers in Camargue (France), Malta, and Sicily, and fairly common on Mallorca. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Marked fluctuationsm increased in 19th and 20th centuries due to planting of conifers. Israel. In Israel subspecies R. r. regulus scarce, mainly as winter visitor, in C end N Israel.
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