| י111) חיוויאי הנחשים | ||||||||||
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:חוויאי הנחשים . מראהו כעקב גדול או כעיט אפרפר וקטן , גחונו הבהיר וגרונו הכהה מבדילים אותו משאר הדורסים . ראשו מעוגל ודומה לדורס לילה . ניתן לראותו דואה ומרפרף במקום אחד . בית גידולו שדות, חורשות הרריות ומישורים . מזונו העיקרי נחשים ומכאן שמו "חיויא" בארמית - נחש . מקנן על עצים לא גבוהים . בארץ עובר אורח מצוי ומקנן בקיץ . ולמה נקרא שמה ראה, שרואה ביותר, עומדת בבבל ורואה בארץ ישראל ... חולין ס"ג א ... | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Circaetus gallicus N W Africa and S W Europe to Golf of Finland and to Balkash and Iran.םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
60-67 cm, 1.2-2.3 kg. wingspan 170-185 cm. Plumage variable, contrast of dark head and upper breast with white underparts ranges from very conspicuous to non-existent. Large head, yellow iris, 3 bands on tail. Juvenile similar to adult. Habitat. Varied habitats mainly in warm temperate and tropical zones, from open woodland even fairly dense forest to semi-desert. Requires fairly open areas rich in reptiles. Food and Feeding. Specializes in reptiles. particularly snakes, which constitute 80% of prey or more. Regional variation in species, mainly non-venomous species, especially Colubridae , up to 1,5 m in length. Also takes other reptiles, particularly lizards including Varanus, chameleons, geckos, occasionally mammals. Normally hunts in open areas, but sometimes in dense vegetation, forages at medium height, with gliding or soaring flight. Swallows snakes and lizards whole, head first, but head may be crushed or torn off prior to consumption, and large snakes can be torn to pieces before being eaten. Breeding Apr in Europe and S Africa, Jan-Feb in India. Nests usually in trees, rarely very tall, often only a few metres in height, very rarely vests on cliff ledges, sometimes uses nest of other raptors. Nest built on crown of tree or on lateral branch, small for size of species, opten no more than 50 cm wide, 30 cm deep, bilt of sticks and twigs, and lined with green leaves or grass.1 egg, incubation 47 days. Chicks has white down Cared for and fed by both adults, at first given small bits of food, bua later learns to pull prey out of adult's crop, and swallow it whole. Movements. Sedentary in India and Pakistan, migratory in Palearctic, winter in tropical Africa. Exceptional in winter in S Europe, N Africa and Middle East, more common in Arabian Peninsula. Birds gather at crossing points, main route between Africa and Europe passes over Straits of Gibraltar, between Africa and Asia over Gulf of Suez. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Israel. In Israel the subspecies Circaetus gallicus Common passage migrant, very rare winter visitor and quite common breeding summer. |
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