| י 501) גיבתון עפרוני | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
:גבתון עפרוני | . הזכר הוא הגדול בגיבתונים, צבעיו חומים מפוספסים, החזה והגחון בהירים יותר . מקורו חרוטי, עבה וקצר. לעיתים רגליו משתרבבות כלפי מטה בזמן מעופו . חסר סימנים מיוחדים מלבד שירתו גבוהת הצלילים . הנקבה קטנה ומגושמת דומה לדרור או לזרעית בית גידולו משתרע באירפה ובאזור האירנו-טורני, מבריטניה וצפון אפריקה . דרך מרכז ודרומה דרך המזרח התיכון ועד לטורקסטן , בית חיותו שטחים פתוחים ויבשים למחצה של שדות, ערבות עשב . מדרונות עם סבכי שיחים ואדמות בור בקרבת הים . בארץ דוגר קיץ שכיח . יציב במדת מה במרכז ובצפון הארץ ומבקר חורף בהמוניו ... תימה מהו אמר לא ידע האי גברא דעוף טהור חייב לשולחי ...חולין קמא, ע"ב
Subspecies and Distribution. | M. c. calandra Canary Is., North Africa and Europe, E to Caucasus area, Asia Minor (except S-E) and coastaal Levant. M. c. clanceyi W Ireland and W Scotland. M. c. bulurlini interior of Levant and S-E Thrkey, E through Iraq, Iran, and S Transcaspia to W China and Afghanistan. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
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17-18 cm, 40-47 g, wingspan 26-32 cm. Male is largest bunting of west Palearctic with heavily streaked buff-brown plumage. Female smaller but still bulky, sharing male's heavy bill and stout legs. Recalls female sparrow or Eurasian Skylark far more than other buntings. No white in tail. Size, flight, and voice all more important to identification than plumage details. Sexes similar, no seasonal variation. Habitat. Breeds in middle latitudes of south-west Palearctic, in cool and warm temperate, Mediterranean, and steppe climatic zones, including extremes of both oceanic and continental types. Mainly in lowlands, preferably undulating or sloping rather than level, and with pronounced liking for vicinity of sea coasts. Avoids forest, wetlands, rocky and broken terrain, and, in most regions, mountains or high plateaux, as well as built-up areas. Apart from need for perches to overlook territory and to serve as song-posts, is at home in fully open country, and has minimal demands for cover, except to some extent foor roosting. Food and Feeding. Seeds, other plant material, and invertebrates, especially in breeding season. Feeds almost wholly on ground in arable fields, damp meadows, short rough grass, etc. In autumn, commonly in stubble and fields where root crops have been harvested or dung spread, etc., only in harsh winters, and much less so than, Yellowhammer. Breeding. Early Jun to mid Jul in Britain, mid May to Jul in Germany, 2nd half of Feb to 2nd half of May in Israel, Mar-Jun in Canary Is. Nest site, generally on ground, in thick tangled grass or shrub, in depression in soil of arable field, or in pasture, often in clump of thick weeds. Nest, fairly large loose construction of stalks, grass stems, and roots, lined with fine grass, rootlets, and sometimes hair. 4-6 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and slightly glossy. Whitish, often tinged with blue, purple, or buff, sparsely but boldly marked with blotches and meandering scrawls and hairstreaks of brownish-black or purple, though some with hardly any pattern or only large pale brown blotches. Incubation,12-14 days, by female only. Movements Resident to partially migratory. Winters chiefly within breeding range. Western migrants head mostly S-W or SSW, and some southern birds move W, at least some eastern birds head S or E of S. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Has decreased in many parts of N-W and C Europe, probably due mainly to changing agricultural practice and land use. Israel. In Israel subspecies M. c. bulurlini common breeding summer visitor and some extent resident in N and C Israel. Abundant winter visitor, chiefly in N and C.
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