| .רוקמ-בוהצ גז (536 | ||||||||||
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.תומודא וילגר .תיסחי ןטקו ףופכ ,בוהצ הרוקמ ,לילכ הרוחש רופיצ :רוקמ-בוהצ גז | ||||||||||
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Subspecies and Distribution.
P. g. graculus S Europe from C Spain, Pyrenees, Alps, Corsica, and Yugoslavia to Greece. P. g. digitatus S Turkey and Levant to Zagros mountains in S-W Iran. P. g. forsythi C Asia from Afghanistan through Himalayas and Tien Shan to Sayan mountains and C China. | ||||||||||
Descriptive notes.38-40 cm, 260-300 g, wingspan 75-80 cm. Medium-sized, rather small-headed, graceful crow. Black, with relatively small, short, decurved yellow bill and red legs.Sexes similar, no seasonal variation. HabitatStrictly mountains, breeding in middle latitudes of west Palearctic in generally colder climates and at greater altitudes than any other bird species, in Switzerland up to 3000 m and in Morocco up to 4000 m. While demanding inaccessible nest-site in enabled by mastery of air to range over wide variety of foraging habitats, from snowline to treeline or lower, tending however, to avoid snow cover and to favour alpine meadows, newly mown grasslands, and boulder slopes.Food and FeedingFrom spring to autumn favours insects, particularly grasshoppers, Tipulidae larvae and beetles. In autumn and winter, berries. Diet often includes refuse or scraps, particularly in winter.Feeds in pairs or flocks on open ground, often frequenting favoured sites. In summer, usually above treeline on short grass, rocks, scree, and cliffs. Breeding.Early May to mid Jun in Alps, mid May to Jul in Morocco, Jun-Jul in Lebanon.Nest site, ledge or crevice in cave, cliff, tunnel, shaft, or building. Access sometimes through small entrance hole, site sometimes more than 10 m from entrance and often in darkness. Nest, bulky mass of sticks, roots, twigs, moss, and plant stems. Lined with neat, compact cup of grass, fine twigs, rootlets, hair, and some feathers. 3-5 eggs, sub-elliptical, smooth and gloosy. Whitish, tinged creamy or faintly buff, rarely greenish, profusely marked overall with small blotches, spots, and specks of dark brown, reddish-brown or olive-brown, with grey or lilac underlying markings. Incubation, 18-21 days, by female only. Movements.Mainly sedentary, except for altitudinal movements.Status and ConservationNot globally threatened. No changes recorded.Israel.In Israel subspecies P. g. digitatus scarce but regular local winter visitor, on Ketef Hermon. |
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