| י 485) סיטת צוקים | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
:סיטת צוקים | . דומה לסיטה הארופית אך צבעיה בולטים פחות קודקודה וראשה כחולים-אפורים, פס עינה השחור בולט . מעל לחייה וגרונה הלבנים, הגחון לבן ערמוני . מוצקה למראה, מקורה ישר, מחודד ואורכו כאורך הראש . רגליה קצרות וחזקות וזנבה קצר . בית גידולה משתרע מאזור הבלקן דרך עירק עד למזרחה של אירן . בדרום חודרת עד לחרמון . בית חיותה צלעות הרים טרשיים, מצוקים וערוצים מסולעים . בארץ יציבה לא שכיחה בחרמון ומורדותיו
Subspecies and Distribution. | S. n. neumayer S-E Europe. S. n. zarudnyi W Asia Minor E to at least Eregli and Ankara. S. n. syriaca Levant. S. n. rupicola E Asia Minor, C and S to Mahabad and Qom. S. n. tschitscherini Zagros mountains, and W-C Iran E to Anarak. S. n. plumbea Kerman (S Iran) םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
|
14-15 cm, 30 g, wingspan 23-25 cm. Second largest nuthatch in west Palerctic with upright stance enhancing size, particularly in comparison to S. europaea. Longer and stouter bill, longer head, and deeper body, crown, back, rump, tail, wing coverts, and inner flight feathers pale blue-grey, upperparts marked only by long black eye-stripe and blackish primaries. Lower face and throat white. Bill black to dark grey, with paler base to lower mandible, legs dark grey. Habitat. Breeds in and near west palerctic in warm Mediterranean lower middle latitudes of dry continental climate. Occupies sunny, generally calcareous rocky slopes and steep faces with at most some dry shrub vegetation. Pronounced ground and rock bird, but in winter regularly in wayside shrubs and trees. Breeds in suitable isolated rocks at low levels but mainly on uplands and mountains to 1 km. Food and Feeding. In summer, mainly insects, in autumn and winter, mostly seeds, but snails also important. Prey taken mainly on ground, especially in crevices in rocks, etc., sometimes from branches and trunks of small bushes or occasionally large trees, and sometimes take insects in the air. Breeding. Late Apr to mid May in Greece, Mar-Apr in Israel, Apr in Iran. Nest site, in slight concavity in rock face, usually sheltered from rain, or under overhang. Nest, entire flask-shaped structure of mud, animal excrement, hair, plant resin, built against rock. 8-10 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and glossy. Milky-white with speckles and small irregular blotches of yellowish or reddish-brown, light red, and reddish-purple. Incubation, 15-18 days, by female only. Movements. Chiefly sedentary, with limited post-breeding dispersal and some seasonal altitudinal movement. In Israel , in late summer, many birds ascend to peaks from breeding area on Mount Hermon. Downward retreat begins with first snow although in mid winter a few may be seen above snow-line, on rocis and snow-free areas. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Israel. In Israel subspecies S. n. syriaca uncommon local resident, confined to th Hermon and its slopes.
HOME |
NEXT
| | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||