| י157) אגמית מצויה | ||||||||||
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:אגמית . גופה שחור, מקורה ומצחה לבנים ורגליה ירוקות . מעופה מגושם בדומה לסופית, בזמן מעופה מתגלה פס כנף לבן . לצעירים גחון לבנבן מתלהקת בלהקות גדולות, המקימות רעש רב בזמן המראתן . תוך כדי ריצה מעל פני המים . בית גידולה מקווי מים מתוקים העטורים צמחיה, לעיתים גם בגנים עירוניים , בארץ עוברת אורח ומבקרת חורף נפוצה ביותר . מבקרת קיץ שכיחה ומקננת נדירה | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
F. a. atra Europa, N Africa, Azores and Canaries through C Asia to Japan and S Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Winters W NE Africa SE Asia and Philippines. F. a. lugubris Java and New Guinea. F. a. novaeguinea New Guinea. F. a. australis Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
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Descriptive notes.
36-40 cm, 600-1200 g, wingspan 70-80 cm. Distinguished from Red-knobbed Coot by greater contrast between black head and neck and somewhat paler body, white tips to secondaries, lack of red knobs at top frontal shield , and pointed projection of loral feathering between bill and shield. Sexes alike, female averages smaller. Races separated on, amount of white on tips of secondaries, much reduced or absent in australis and novaeguinea . Size, nominate larger than lugubris and underpart color darker in novaeguinea then australis Calls often metallic,resonant,querulous particularly sharp and high when birds agitated. Often noisy. Habitat. Large, still or slow moving waters. Inhabits lakes, pools, ponds, barrages, canals, rivers, marshes and lagoons also lakes and pools in towns. Prefers fairly shallow waters with room to dive and with muddy bottom well furnished with marginal, emergent, floating or submerged vegetation. In winter will resort to quiet estuarine or inshore sea waters,and often occurs on fast rivers where suitable vegetation flourishes. Food and Feeding Omnivorous, but primarily vegetarian. eats mainly vegetative parts and seeds of aquatic and sometimes terrestrial plants. Takes plant debris drifting on water surface. Animal food eaten includes worms, leeches, shrimps, insects, fish, frogs, birds and their eggs and small mammals. Feeds in flocks on land, grazing near water, especially when wind causes high waves. Diurnal, but often active at night on moonlit nights or on floodlit waters. Breeding Europe, Feb-Spt. N Africa, Mar-Jun. India, Nov-Dec. Australia, Aug-Feb. Gregarious, but monogamous, territorial and pugnacious when breeding. Pair-bonds may sometimes be retained in flocking and migratory populations. Nest almost always in shallow water, usually in emergent vegetation but sometimes in open. Normally resting on bottom or trampled foundation of vegetation, occasionally floating, artificial platforms, rafts, tree stumps and tree forks. Both sexes build. 6-10 eggs, incubation 21-25 days, by both parents. Black downy chick has orange to yellow tips to down of neck and side of head, wings and mantle, bill and shield red. first breeding older then 1 year. May have 2 broods per season. Movements. Present all year in warm and temperate regions, but mainly migratory in N Eurasia under influence of continental climate. In W Palearctic, N populations winter from North Sea, Baltic EC Europe,Iraq and Arabia to Senegal and N Africa. Further E Asia N populations winter on Indian Subcontinent, with N passage observed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, SE Asia to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines. Dispersive in Australia, where large changes in abundance occur, birds move to flooded areas. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Nominate race has expanded range in Europe since late 19th century. Israel. In Israel subspecies F. a. atra. Very common passage migrant and winter visitor, quite common summer visitor. Rare breeder. |
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