| .ןטק יכבס (463 | ||||||||||
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רחאל הנורחאל םינחוטה יכבס לש ןימ תתכ גווס תונורחאה םינשל דע :ןטק יכבס | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
S. m. minula Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan E to China. Non-breeding from Arabia to India. S. m. margelanica N China | ||||||||||
Taxonomy.Sylvia minula Hume, 1873, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Systematics of this species and S. curraca and S. althaea controversial. All three traditionally considered conspecific, but recent exhaustive phenotypic and genetic studies suggest that they should be treated as separate species, differing not only genetically but also vocally and in size (but less markedly in plumage), in parts of Asia where they breed very close to each other, they are segregated ecologically and altitudinally.Descriptive notes.12 cm; 8-13 g. A small warbler with short bill, short primary projection.Nominate race has pale grey or buff-grey crown, very short and indistinct whitish supercilium above eye, lores and earcoverts grey, at best only slightly darker than crown, upperparts yellowish sandy, tail pale greybrown, extensive white on outermost rectrix, chin and throat pure white, underparts whitish, extensively suffused with pale yellowish-buff, iris cream, yellow or pale yellow-brown to dark grey or dark brown. Bill and legs grey. Distinguished from S. curruca mainly by smaller size, shorter bill and shorter primary projection, paler general coloration, less well-patterned head. Sexes similar Habitat.Deserts and steppes with thorn-scrub in arid and semi-arid habitats. Sometimes sand-dune desert with Capparis bushes or near water in oases. Race margelanica breeds in desert habitats at higher altitude than nominate.Food and FeedingLarge amounts of insects, including ants and aphids in non-breeding season. Reported as visiting flowers such as those of Acacia arabica or Dalbergia sissoo, both for nectar and for insects.In desert, very often seen to forage by running on ground and looking for prey, sometimes hopping. Breeding.Little known. Season apparently mainly May-Jun, but also mid-Jul at higher altitude (3000m).Nest normally up to one meter above ground in low bushs, sometimes in tree. Movements.Migratory. After breeding, migrates to Pakistan and NW India and Arabia. In Pakistan autumn passage detected in early Sept, but peak mostly from early Oct.Status and Conservation.Not globally threatened. Locally common.Israel.In Israel two subspecies S. minula and S. m. margelanica Apparently accidental. four records at Eilat (1976-1982). |
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