| י161) חוברה מדברית | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
:חוברה מדברית . C. u. macqueenii ידועים שלושה תת-מינים, תת-המין הנמצא בארץ . גדול ובהיר יותר ולאחרונה ישנה נטייה לסווגו כמין נפרד . גודלו כגודל תרנגול הודו, גבו בצבע החול מנוקד בשחור . בתקופת החיזור ניכר בצבעי שחור ולבן שעל צווארו ציצה שחורה לבנה משוכה לאחור, בחורף צווארו אפור מלפנים . וכתמים כהים בשיפוליו, המעוף מהיר אך משיכות כנפיה נראות איטיות . בית גידולו מישורים מדבריים ומדבריים למחצה . בארץ יציב ומצוי באזורים מדבריים ... 'מוזכר בתלמוד כעוף שסמני הטהרה שלו לא ברורים ... חולין ס"ב ב | ||||||||||
|
Subspecies and Distribution.
C. u. fuertaventurae Canary Is. C. u. undulata N Africa, to NC Egypt. C. u. macqueenii Middle East and Arabia to Iran and extreme Pakistan, also from NW Kazakhstan to Mongolia and China. Wintering from Persian Gulf to Pakistan and India. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם | ||||||||||
|
Descriptive notes.
55-75 cm, 1200-3200 g. Upperparts pale sandy buff, mottled and lined with darker brown, clear and paler on folded wing, tail with up to four bluish grey bars Crown buff with sometimes hidden central line of white erectile feathers, rest of head pale greyis buff with black line down side of neck composed of erectilefilamentous plumes which turn white on side or breast Underparts white, eye pale yellow, legs olive grey to pale straw yellow. Female similar but smaller, with filamentous neck plumes much reduced. Race fuertaventurae darker, macqueenii has black in white crown feathers, a blue-grey forineck, and is larger. Habitat. Arid sandy semi-cesert with tussock grass, flat bare stony plains dotted with xerophytic and halophytic scrub, wormwood steppe and sandy grasslands, often visiting marginal cultivation in non-breeding period. Food and Feeding Opportunistic, with no clearly discernible seasonal or geographical pattern. Animal material chiefly grasshoppers, crickets and locusts but includes various invertebrates and small snakes and lizards. Vegetable matter such as fruits, seeds, shoots, leaves and flowers. Breeding Mar-Apr, in N Africa and Canaries. Mar-may in Syria. Mar-Apr in Pakistan. Nest is a shallow unlined scrape on ground, sometimes in open but usually near some cover. 2-3 eggs, incubation usually 24 days. Chicks have golden and buff down, with white, black and sepia markings. Movements. Sedentary and locally nomadic in Middle East and Africa. C Asian populations strongly migratory, leaving breeding grounds from in Aug-Oct on trans-Himalayan migration, and arriving Spt-Nov in wintering grounds from Persian Gulf states to India, some occurring to Egypt. Status and Conservation. Not globally threatened. Although reportedly in decline in almost every range state this century. Israel. In Israel subspecies C. u. macqueenii. Resident and sedentary in most open desert and arid zones. |
| |||||||||
| HOME | NEXT | |||||||||
