White Buckthorn [1] ( lat. Chionis alba ) is a bird from the family of the White Plovers Chionidae , which includes only two species.
| White Plover |
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| Scientific classification |
|---|
| No rank : | Bilateral symmetric |
| Family: | White Plovers ( Chionidae Bonaparte , 1832 ) |
|
| International Scientific Name |
|---|
Chionis alba ( Gmelin , 1789 ) |
| Security status |
|---|
Least concernIUCN 3.1 Least Concern : 22693556 |
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Content
Body length from 34 to 41 cm, weight varies from 460 to 780 g. Wingspan from 74 to 84 cm. Sexual dimorphism is absent. Males are slightly larger than females. The plumage is completely white, the wings are small, the paws are short. Typical of white plovers are quick movement on the ground, during which they nod their heads in the same way as pigeons.
White plovers are widespread in Antarctica ( South Georgia Island, South Orkney Islands , South Shetland Islands , Antarctic Peninsula ). Birds nest on rocky coasts, usually in penguin colonies.
Omnivorous birds, kleptoparazity . Often they steal krill and fish from penguins, as well as their eggs and chicks. In addition, they feed on carrion, feces, invertebrates, as well as human waste.
Monogamy, permanent pairs. Nest usually near colonies of penguins or cormorants. Both birds build nests of grass, algae, feathers, bones and shells among the stones. The nesting period lasts from October to March, eggs are laid and hatched between December and January. In laying 2-3 eggs. Hatching lasts 28–32 days. Survives 1 chick, younger parents eat up. The nestling remains in the nest for 2 months.
- ↑ Boehme RL , Flint V. Ye. The five-language dictionary of animal names. Birds. Latin, Russian, English, German, French / Under total. ed. Acad. V.E. Sokolova . - M .: Rus. lang, "RUSSO", 1994. - p. 81. - 2030 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00643-0 .
- Alala Press, Degerby 2002, ISBN 951-98947-0-5 Hadoram Shirihai: A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife
