| י160) חובה גדולה | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
:חובה גדולה . עוף יבשה מהגדולים באזורנו. הזכר גדול מהנקבה במידה רבה . זיפי השפם ארוכים ועל החזה פס חלודי . הראש והצוואר של החובה אפורים בהירים . רגליה בצבע זית חום הנוטה לאפור . גבה וכנפיה ערמוניים ומנומרים בשחור, תחתית כנפיו לבנה . נוהגת להתלהק בלהקות קטנות . בית גידולה מישורים חשופים מעצים, ערבות עשב ושדות פתוחים . בארץ מזדמנת באקראי נדירה, בחורף החובה נזכרת בתלמוד במסכת חולין ס"ב ב' | ||||||||||
|
Subspecies and Distribution.
O. t. tarda Morocco and Iberia, Germany to Hungary and Ukraine. Also breeds in Turkey and Iran to SW Russia through Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. Wintering from Turkey and Syria through Iran and Tadjikistan. 0. t. dybowskii SE Russia, Mongolia and NE China. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
|
Descriptive notes.
Female 75 cm male 105 cm, female 33oo-5300 g male 5800-1800 g. Male has upperparts barred black and gold, with broad white patch on closed wing, tail as back with broad black subterminal bar and white tips. Head and foreneck pale blue-grey shading into white and then vinous russet on lower hindneck, sides of lower neck and breast, undersides white, bill dull grey, legs olive brown to dull grey. Race dybowskee has head and neck slightly paler grey and upperparts more distinctly barred, from nominate and geographical limits unclear. Habitat. Flat open sort-grass plains, usually clear of trees. Pasture provide important habitat in spring and summer, fields of stubble are favoured in late summer and autumn, lucerne in winter, but a high diversity of low-intensity land use and lack of disturbance are generally important for year round needs. Food and Feeding Mainly invertebrates and plant material, although small mammals, amphibians and nestling birds sometimes taken. High proportion of cultivated plants utilized from late summer ghrough to winter, with green matter increasingly important from mid-winter into spring, and insects from spring into late summer. Breeding Apr-May, nest on ground with or without scrape, occasionally with fragments of grass stems and crop stems as lining. 2-3 eggs, incubation 25 days. Chicks cinnamon-pink to pale buff, with sepia streaks and other markings. First breeding at 2-3 years in female, 5-6 years in male. Movements. Sedentary or dispersive in Ukraina, CE Europe to Iberia, depending on severity of winter, and on age and sex, males appearing to move over shorter destances, probably related to degree of maturity. Migratory in Asia, where southward shifts occur, generally over limited distances, from Aug to early winter, with birds returning Mar-Apr. Status and Conservation. Vulnerable. Total population unknown, but European populations may amount to 25.000-30.000 birds. Irrigation and agricultural intensification are chief threats, also pesticide use, electric cables, and illegal hunting. Israel. In Israel subspecies O. t. tarda. Stragler, mainly in the winter. |
| |||||||||
| HOME | NEXT | |||||||||
