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.והצקב רשי ךותחו ךורא הבנז ,תוקצומ םילגרו רוקמ תלעב ,רורחשל המוד :תימרטסירט | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
Onychognathus tristramii E and S Israel, W Jordan, Sinai and along W and S Arabia. | ||||||||||
Descriptive notes.25 c, 100-140 g, wingspan 44-45 cm. Lengthy, strong-billed and strong-legged, starling-like bird, with long, square-cut tail. Plumage looks black at distance, with striking pale chestnut patches on primaries,Song melancholy. Flocks dash about. Sexes disimilar,no seasonal variation. HabitatRestricted to Arabia and Levant, where basically confined to mountains or other rocky areas, up to 3200 m in Yemen, though avoiding barren mountain tops and inhabiting ravines, canyons, and cliffs, down to below sea-level. Roosts and nests in these, using holes or crevices in caves. Needs access to vegetation bearing food, from desert plants such as dates, prickly pears, and grapes obtained on visits to villages and even towns, especially rubbish dumps.Will also pluck ticks from donkeys, camels, and other grazing animals, wandering to desert margins and even to coastal plains. Food and FeedingMainly fruit and insects. Feeds in bushes and on ground, sometimes among cattle. Will crack snail shells on anvil like thrush. Picks ectoparasites from pelts of ibexes, donkeys, cattle, and camels. With ibexes, concentrates on head and genital area.Breeding.Mar to end of Jun in Israel.Nest site crevices and holes in rocky ravines, on ledges, and in caves, high above ground. Nest, of twigs, tamarisk branches, rarely with green acacia leaves, with lining of softer material including feathers, hair, and paper. Nest size and shape adapted to fit cavity but usually a deep plate. 3-5 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth. Turquoise-blue, sometimes mottled with sparse light brown markings or reddish speckles. Incubation, 16 days by female alone. Movements.Resident and dispersive, with flocks seen out of breeding season well away from breeding range.Status and ConservationNot globally threatened. Has increased in Israel, following development of agriculture and settlements.Israel.In Israel subspecies Onychognathus tristramii fairly common local resident. |
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