Magpie consecration
| Magpie consecration | ||||||||||||
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Magpie consecration, female |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Circus melanoleucus | ||||||||||||
| ( Pennant , 1769) |
The magpie harrier ( Circus melanoleucus ) is a medium-sized, but slender type of harrier that breeds in the northeastern Palearctic, overwinters in Southeast Asia and is characterized by a pronounced sexual dimorphism . The only slightly larger females are gray-brown on the upper side of the body, the males contrasting black and light gray.
The IUCN states that the Elsterweihe is not at risk ( least concern ). No subspecies are distinguished.
Appearance
Dimensions and feathered body parts
The magpie harrier reaches a body length of 43 to 50 centimeters, of which 20 to 22 centimeters in males and 21 to 24 centimeters in females are on the tail. The wings are 34 to 37 centimeters long in the males and 35 to 39 centimeters in length in the females. The wingspan is 110 to 125 centimeters. The weight of the males is between 254 and 325 grams, the females weigh between 390 and 455 grams. The eyes of adult birds are yellow. The beak is yellow, the wax skin is yellow to greenish yellow. The legs and feet are orange-yellow in the males and yellow in the females.
male
The males are black from head to chest. The upper body, the middle wing-coverts, the wings of the hand are gray with white feather edges. The small wing covers, however, are cross-banded gray-white. The underside of the body is silver gray. The contrasting color makes the males unmistakable.
female
Females are dark brown on the top of the body. The face, crown and neck are cream-colored to pale brownish with longitudinal stripes. The feathers of the elytra have diffuse black-gray end bands and some also have red-brown fringes. The upper tail covers are white with individually different brown transverse bands. The tail plumage is gray-brown with a darker end band. The underside of the body is whitish to pale brownish with dark brown to reddish brown longitudinal lines that are lighter or even completely absent on the lower abdomen.
Distribution area
The distribution area of the Elsterweihe extends from the south of Siberia and the east of Mongolia to the Outer Manchuria and the northeast of China . Occasionally magpie harriers have already brooded in the north of Myanmar and in Assam in India. Magpie harriers are migratory birds that overwinter far to the south of their breeding area. The wintering areas range from India and Sri Lanka , through Thailand to the south of China, Borneo and the Philippines . The move south begins in August and peaks in September and October. The migratory birds largely follow the Chinese coast; according to a count in Beidaihe in Hebei , China , more than 14,500 individuals crossed the city area in autumn 1986. During this time, individual birds are seen as stray visitors on the islands of the Korea Strait and in the east of Honshū .
Individual birds can still be seen in December near their breeding area. The withdrawal from the wintering areas begins in March and continues until May. In years with a mass increase in voles, however , some of the migrating birds also remain in Ussuri and the northeast of China.
habitat
The habitat of the Elsterweihe are open areas. This ranges from dry steppes to dense grassland or taiga with low birch vegetation. However, they show a clear preference for wetlands, such as the bank zones of lakes, floodplains of rivers and marshes with extensive reed zones. In winter they occur regularly on grasslands and open agricultural areas. They can then also be observed near rice fields.
Their altitude distribution ranges from the lowlands to altitudes of 2100 meters. Brooding magpie harriers are mostly found below 1500 meters above sea level.
Way of life
Magpie consecrations live solitary, but there can be gatherings of several individuals in resting places, where they are then also associated with other types of consecration. In regions with a large supply of food and during the migration, several magpie harriers can often be seen at the same time.
Magpie harriers are food generalists, the food composition varies both seasonally and individually. However, small mammals, including voles, play a particularly large role. They also eat frogs and larger insects such as grasshoppers and beetles, the nestlings of various bird species, but also wounded or sick songbirds, lizards, snakes and fish. They have also been observed on carrion, although this plays a very subordinate role in their diet.
Reproduction
The breeding season extends from mid-May to August. The nest is built on the ground and consists of grass, reeds and similar vegetation. The diameter is 40 to 50 centimeters, the height of the nest depends on whether the platform is on dry or soaked ground. The clutch consists of four to five eggs. The breeding season lasts at least 30 days. The nestlings fledge after a month at the earliest.
literature
- J. Ferguson-Lees, DA Christie: Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London 2001, ISBN 0-7136-8026-1 .
