| י108) נשר מקראי | ||||||||||
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:נשר מקראי . ניכר בניגוד שבין הצבע הכהה של אברות כנפיו וזנבו לבין גופו הבהיר . הראש והצואר מכוסים בפלומה לבנה ההופכת למעין צוארון . הזנב קצר ורבוע. למתבגרים צבע חלודי כהה . לרוב דואה בגובה רב, כאשר קצות כנפיו מעוגלות כלפי מעלה ואברותיו פשוקות כאצבעות . בית גידולו הרים סלעיים, מקנן על דרגשי סלע ומערות . בארץ יציב נדיר, מרמת הגולן ועד הרי הנגב .... ואשא אתכם על כנפי נשרים... שמות יט' 4 | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
G. f. fulvus N W Africa and Iberian Peninsula through Balkans, Turkey, Middle East, Arabia and Iran. G. f. fulvescens Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
95-110 cm, 6-11 kg. wingspan 240-280 cm. Whitish head, neck and collar, dark centres to greater upperwing coverts. similar to the other griffon vultures. Juvenile has brown collar and darker back than adult. Habitat. Exclusively carrion, feeds mainly on muscles and viscera of medium sized and large mammals, especially ungulates. Original wild prey species, now replaced to greater or lesser extent by domestic species, on which present species as often become totally dependent. Birds co-operate in search for food, dispersing up to 10's of km from colony or roost, exploring wide areas meticulously, when individual locates carrion, other birds within sight will congregate. Food and Feeding Basically opportunist: able to take very varied types of food. Particularly carrion, including all sorts of dead vertebrates. From small birds to livestock and large wild animals, normally eats only scraps of large carcasses, rejected by other vultures. To lesser degree, preys on small animals, often weak or injured ones. Occasionally birds' eggs, notably Ostrich eggs, breaks these by throwing stones at them. Breeding. Dec-Mar. Colonial, normally under 20 pairs. Nests on crag or cliff, preferring protected ledge or small cave, thin, fairly small platform of branches, sometimes stolen from other large raptors. 1 egg, incubation 50-58 days, both adults incubate egg and feed chicks regurgitating semi-digested food. Chicks first down short and white,second down longer and creamy white to pale grey. Sexual maturity at 4 years old, can live in captivity 37 years old. Movements. Sedentary and partly megratory, juveniles disperse widely, vagrants in C N Europe. A few thousand birds, mainly juveniles, winter in Africa, with crossings at Straits of Gibraltar, Bosporus and Suez. Not all of these birds return to Europe in spring. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Israel. In Israel the subspecies G. f. fulvus Uncommon resident, scarce passage migrant, winter visitor and dispersive. |
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