| י32) סולת המסכה | ||||||||||
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:סולת המסכה . סולה גדולה, רגליה צהובות או אפורות, אברות היד שחורות . לזכר מקור צהוב בהיר ואילו של הנקבה צהוב ירקרק חיור . הנקבה גדולה במקצת מהזכר בית חיותה, מדרום מערב האוקינוס האטלנטי דרך האוקיאנוס ההודי . ועד לאוקיאנוס השקט. מקננת באיים סלעיים ושוממים . צדה את טרפה בלב ים בעיקר דגים מעופפים ודיונונים . בארץ נצפתה בחוף ראשון לציון. בשלושה מקרים אחרים נצפתה בחופי מרוקו וספרד | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
S. d. dactylatra Caribbean and SW Atlantic. S. d. melanops W Indian Ocean. S. d. personata E Indian Ocean, W & C Pacific. S. d. fullagari N Tasman Sea. S. d. granti E Pacific. | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
81-92 cm; wingspan 152 cm. Largest booby. Legs yellow or grey; greater upperwing-coverts black, like secondaries. Bill usually bright yellow in males, dull greenish yellow in females. Females average slightly larger. Juvenile similar to adult S.leucogaster, but paler brown above with white upper breast and white collar round upper back. Pacific races much larger than nominate; bare part colour variable, but not apparently reliable for subspecific determination. Habitat. Strictly marine and fairly pelagic. Prefers deeper waters than other boobies. In Galapagos, feeds further from colony than S. nebouxii, although diet appears to be very similar. Nests on rocky islands offshore; prefers cliff ledge sites, where take-off is easier, but variety of sites used, occasionally on sandy islands, and even reported nesting in trees. Food and Feeding Shoaling fish, especially flying-fish, generaLLy taking larger prey than other boobies, including fish up to 40 cm long, only limited amounts of squid, perhaps due to smaJl size of most available squid. Prey caught by plunge-diving from moderate to great heigh1s. Normally solitary, or in small groups. Frequent victim of piracy by frigatebirds. Breeding. Only loosely seasonaJ throughout most of its range. Small to medium-sized colonies of variable density. Nests on flat ground or, if possible, on slope or cliff. Sometimes in midst of vegetation. Nest is simple circle of accumulated excreta. 2 eggs, but brood reduced to 1 chick. Incubation 44 days. chicks have whitish down. Known to have lived over 23 years in the wild. Movements. Well nown, due to extensive ringing. Young birds migrate S, small numbers reaching equator; some spend summer too in winter quarters. Adults disperse less extensively, but regular in winter in Mediterranean and Gulf of Mexico. Status and Conservation. Not global1y threatened. Population widely dispersed throughout tropical waters and thus very difficult to estimate, but pantropical distribution suggests it may be large. comprising several hundred thousand individuals. Race melanops declining rapidly and the few remaining sizeable colonies are threatened; protection of at least some of these essential. Only 2500 pairs in Caribbean; 5000 in S Atlantic; but 25,000-50,000 in Galapagos and also fair numbers in S Pacific. Breeding colonies quite small and often subject to exploitation by local people, who take eggs or even kill adults. Also menaced by introduced predators and development associated with recent boom in tourist industry. Israel. In Israel subspecies S. d. dactylatra. Accidental. One found and photographed near Rishon Le Zion beach.(2005) |
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