| י155) פורפיריה כחולה | ||||||||||
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:פורפיריה כחולה . דומה לסופית, אך גדולה ממנה . צבעה כחלחל כהה, ארגמני וחסרה את הפס הלבן בצידי גופה . רגליה ארוכות ואדומות. מקורה עבה, גדול ואדום. הצעירים אפורים . המצוי במצרים גב צבוע בירוק aegyptiacus לזן . בשטחים גלוים זוקרת את זנבה תכופות כלפי מעלה ומטפסת על קני הסוף . מעופה כמעוף הסופית , בית גידולה ביצות, שדות קני סוף וגדות מקוי מים מתוקים . העטורים צמחיה עבותה . בארץ מזדמנת אקראית נדירה ביותר | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
P. p. porphyryo Spain, France and Sardinia to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. P. p. madagascariensis Egypt, sub Saharan Africa and Madagascar. P. p. caspius Caspian Sea, NW Iran and Turky P. p. seistanicus Iraq S Iran to Afghanistan, Pakistan and NW India. P. p. Poliociphalus India and Sri Lanka to Bangladesh, Andamans, Nicobars and N Myanmar to China and Thailand. P. p. viridis S Myanmar, S Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia to Indochina and S China. P. p. indicus Greater Sundas to Bali and Sulawesi P. p. pulverulentus Philippines. P. p. melanopterus Moluccas and Lesser Sundas to NEW Guinea P. p. pelewensis Palau Is. P. p. melanotus N E Australia and Tasmania to New Zealand P. p. bellus SW Australia P. p. samoensis Admiralty Is. to New Caledonia and to Samoa. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
40-50 cm, 528-1300 g male 480-1250 g female, wingspan 90-100 cm. Very large' ponderous rail , much larger than all other congeners except flightless Takahe in New Zealand, with massive treangular red bill,red shield, red legs and long, slender toes. Most races predominantly blue to violet on head and body, with contrastingly blackish or greenish back and upperwing coverts. Female smaller, with smaller frontal shield. Juvenile duller than adult. Races separated on plumage and size, nominate porphyrio has purple back and wings; madagascariensis has bronze-green or blue-green back and scpulars; poliocephalus group has cerulean blue scapulars upperwing coverts, face, throat and breast and dark blue back; size declines eastwards, with caspius largest, seistanicus smaller and poliocephalus smallest; indicus group often has large shield, upperparts and upperwing coverts black with green tinge; pulverulentus has olive-chestnut mantle and scapulars, and whole body strongly tinged ashy grey; melanotus group can have relatively small shield, and has short toes, black upperparts, and variably cobalt to violet throat and breast. Habitat. Fresh or brackish, still or slow-flowing sheltered open waters. Habitat normally permanent but in Africa also occupies, and breeds in, seasonal and temporary wetlands. Inhabits ponds, lakes, dams, marshes, swamps, rivers, artesian and seismic bores, also lakes in towns. Food and Feeding Omnivorous, primarily vegetarian, taking shoots, leaves, roots, flowers and seeds of aquatic and semi aquatic plants. Animal foods normally small proportion of diet, including molluscs leeches, small crabs, insects, fish and their eggs, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, small rodents and carrion. Climbs freely to strip flowers and seeds from reeds and to take bird eggs and nestlings. Breeding Sub Saharan Africa in rainy season, Mediterranean, mainly Mar-Jun. India and Pakistsn, mainly Jun-Sep, Australia all months. Nest in shallow water, concealed in thick emergent. Large, substantial structure of dead stems and leaves of water plants, usually built on platform of beaten-down vegetation. Both sexes build, 3-5 eggs, incubation 23-27 days, by both sexes and helpers. Black downy chick has white filoplumes on head, neck, mantle and wing. First breeding after 1-2 years. Movements. Local seasonal movements, in response to changing habitat conditions, in many regions, including Europe, Sardinia, N Africa, Volga Delta, Caspian, India and Australasia. Some wandering reported, in Europe confused by escapes, but genuine vagrant to Germany, former Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Israel, Kuwait and Cyprus. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. In 20th century, nominate race has suffered marked decrease in already restricted range, often because of wetland drainage and also through hunting and effects of pesticides. Israel. In Israel subspecies P. p. caspius. Occasional or very rare visitor in certain years. |
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