Sliding couple

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sliding couple
Gliding couple in Hyderabad (India)

Gliding couple in Hyderabad (India)

Systematics
Order : Birds of prey (Accipitriformes)
Family : Hawk species (Accipitridae)
Subfamily : Sliding pairs (Elaninae)
Genre : Sliding pairs ( Elanus )
Type : Sliding couple
Scientific name
Elanus caeruleus
( Desfontaines , 1789)
Gliding couple in Etosha National Park , Namibia
Eggs of the sliding couple

The glider ( Elanus caeruleus ) is a species of bird from the hawk family (Accipitridae). In Central Europe it is a very rare Irrgast which is observed mainly in Western and Südmitteleuropa.

Appearance

It reaches a wingspan of 80 to 90 centimeters and is about 30 to 35 centimeters long. The weight is between 197 and 343 grams. Most of the bird is white, its wings are light gray with black shoulders. Its head is relatively large and the tail is very short. It also has bright red eyes and orange-yellow legs.

The rowing flight of the gliding pair is interrupted by short gliding distances. With suitable thermals, it hovers with V-shaped wings. It also shakes against the wind, with its wings flapping slower than that of the kestrel . Shock flights are rare with him. Typical for this species is a gradual descent, which is interrupted by shaking flights. He can also often be seen hunting from high seat, where he particularly likes to sit in high waiting areas.

distribution and habitat

Distribution of the sliding pair:
  • Year-round occurrence
  • Wintering areas

    • The sliding couple is found in southern Europe in areas on the Iberian Peninsula ( Portugal , Spain ) and near Soustons in France , in North Africa in Morocco , Algeria and Egypt , but also in the rest of Africa . The breeding population of Europe consists of around 1,000 to 2,000 pairs. In large parts of South Asia , the subspecies E. c. vociferus . There are also four other subspecies on South Asian islands. In 2015 a sliding pair was spotted in the Green Belt near Mendhausen in the Hildburghausen district in Thuringia .

    Gliding pairs are mainly resident birds , but occasionally they also live as sea ​​birds . They live in open areas such as steppes, semi-deserts or cultural landscapes with isolated trees or high masts to sit on and nest.

    nutrition

    A sliding pair feeds on small mammals (mainly rodents ), various small birds or the young of larger birds and reptiles (mainly lizards ). Occasionally, insects are also on the menu. He hunts them in a slow search flight with occasional shaking or in the hide hunt.

    Reproduction

    For reproduction, nests are built on trees in a division of labor (the male brings in material, the female builds it). The clutch then usually consists of three or four eggs, but in some cases there are only two or up to six eggs.

    literature

    • Hans-Günther Bauer, Einhard Bezzel and Wolfgang Fiedler (eds.): The compendium of birds in Central Europe: Everything about biology, endangerment and protection. Volume 1: Nonpasseriformes - non-sparrow birds. Aula-Verlag Wiebelsheim, Wiesbaden 2005, ISBN 3-89104-647-2 .
    • Benny Génsbol, Walther Thiede; Birds of prey - all European species, identifiers, flight patterns, biology, distribution, endangerment, population development. BLV Verlag Munich, 1997, ISBN 3-405-14386-1 .
    • Theodor Mebs ; Birds of prey in Europe - Biology - Population conditions - Endangerment. Franckh-Kosmos Verlag Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-440-06838-2 .

    Web links

    Commons : Gleitaar ( Elanus caeruleus )  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files

    Individual evidence

    1. ↑ Bauer et al., P. 284
    2. ↑ Bauer et al., P. 284
    3. ↑ Bauer et al., P. 285
    4. ↑ A rare passenger from the south . Retrieved September 4, 2015.