| י 487) צופית בוהקת | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
:צופית בוהקת | . ציפור קטנה אך בעלת גוף, מקורה ארוך ונוטה כלפי מטה . לזכרים צבע ירוק מתכתי בחלקי הגוף העליונים, הראש והצואר המצח הסנטר והגרון כחול מתכתי, בצידי החזה כתמים . כתומים-אדמים-צהובים הבולטים לעיתים רחוקות . הנקבה אפורה זנבה שחור וגחונה בהיר . בית גידולה משתרע בארץ, לבנון וסוריה ובחצי האי ערב המערבי עד לתימן , בית חיותה מגוון, החל מאזורים מדבריים דרך נחלים מוקפי צמחיה . עמקים סלעיים ועד להרים מכוסי בערער ב 50 השנים האחרונות התפשט תחום מחיתה בצורה ניכרת, הסברה היא ריבוי . גינות הנוי בעלות צמחים עתירי צוף המשמש למזונה . בארץ יציבה ושכיחה מאוד בכל חלקי הארץ
Subspecies and Distribution. | N. o. osea Levant and western and southern Arabia. N. o. decorsei Afrotropics. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
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10-12 cm, 8 g, wingspan 14-16 cm. Small but fat-bodied passerine, with long decurved bill, rather broad-ended wings, straight tail, and rather long legs, adapted to nectar feeding and frequently hovering to do so. Adult male breeding looks all-black at distance but shows multi-colored iridescence and orange breast tufts at close range. Non-breeding male, female and juvenile olive-grey above, dusky white below. Restless, with fast, flitting flight between flower clumps. Sexes dissimilar in breeding plumage, marked seasonal variation in male. Habitat. Occurs within small region in eastern lower middle and lower latitudes of west Palearctic, in Mediterranean and desert climates, with higher temperature than experienced by most Nectariniidae. Also uses wider range of habitats from lowlands near sea-level with gardens, orchards, bushy river banks, and rocky valleys to mountain summits clothed in juniper. Food and Feeding. Invertebrates, nectar, and other plant material. Nectar is taken with long, brush-tipped tongue from opening of tubular flowers and also from small flowers such as those of Citrus trees. Capable of hovering near aperture of flower but more often sips nectar while perched alongside. Takes nectar from large flowers, Hibiscus, Cconvolvulus and Malvaviscus by perforating corolla with bill. Takes insects hidden in flowers and sometimes catches them in flight. Insects also picked off leaves. Breeding. Feb-Sep in Israel but sometimes in winter at Eilat. Feb-Sep in Arabia. Nest site, at tip of hanging branch of tree of bush in sheltered place, close to wall of house, or vine covering ceiling of balcony. Nest, rather untidy pear-shaped purse C 18 cm long, 8 cm wide at base, with circular side-entrance near top and protected by small awning, traqiling beard of leaves and twigs hangs from base. Outer fabric of thin stems, roots, leaves, plant down, and bark, bound with hair, wool, and cobwebs, and lined with feathers, wool, paper fragments, and leaves. 1-3 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and glossy. White, very finely speckled reddish-brown. Base color pale grey of varying from yellowish to greenish to white, with small ill-defined violet-grey or brown-grey blotches and spots in loose circle at broad end. Incubation 13-14 days, by female only. Movements. West Palearctic and Arabian race, nominate, resident, locally despersive, or short-distance migrant. In Israel, nomadic in winter. in Israel, spread of distribution in recent years obscures formerly clearer local movements and not known to what extent these still apply. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. In Israel increased since 1940. Israel. In Israel subspecies N. o. osea abundant resident in all regions of the country.
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