Monticola saxatilis
Vulnerable
| Habitats | Rocky Terrain, Alpine Scrubland |
|---|---|
| Presence In Israel | Migrant, Summer |
| Breeding In Israel | Breeder |
| Migration Types | Long Range |
| Zoographical Zones | Alpine |
| Landscape Types | Mountainous, Rugged Terrain |
| Vegetation Densities | Low |
| Nest Locations | Ground, Cliffs |
| Diet Types | Invertebrate |
| Foraging Grounds | Ground |
| Body Sizes | Small (up to 500g) |
| Threat Factors | Habitat loss and fragmentation |
The Rufous-tailed Rock-thrush is a colorful passerine the size of a blackbird that inhabits rocky mountainous areas. The brightly colored male has a rusty orange belly, a bluish head, throat and nape and dark grey wings. The female and juveniles are browner, occasionally with a pattern of crescent-shaped patches. Its body is rounded and stocky and with a relatively long and strong bill. The tail is short, square and rusty red in all plumages.
Migrates in small numbers throughout Israel, mainly in spring. It breeds only on Mt. Hermon, with the exception of one nest found in the Upper Galilee in the 1990s. The breeding survey conducted on Mt. Hermon in summer 2013 estimated the breeding population there at approximately 10 pairs (Israeli & Perlman 2013).
Favors mountain slopes and rocky landscapes, usually at altitudes over 1,500 meters.
The population is threatened by development on Mt. Hermon, including roadworks, development of ski runs and other installations.
No specific conservation measures have been taken for this species to date.
- ישראלי, נ. ופרלמן, י. 2013. סיכום סקר עופות מקננים בחרמון. דו"ח מרכז הצפרות של החברה להגנת הטבע.
- פז, ע. 1986. עופות. מתוך אלון, ע. (עורך), החי והצומח של ארץ ישראל. כרך 6. הוצאת משרד הביטחון, ישראל.
- Shirihai, H., 1996. The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London.
- Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
- Species page at Birdlife International
Contributed:
Current Occupancy Map
| Data Missing | Sporadic | Limited Sites | Low Density | High Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Distribution maps
The maps presented here provide visual information on the distribution of species in Israel from the past and present, and the changes in occupancy and breeding density during the comparison period. For further reading
Relative Abundance 2010-2020
Breeding density values in the current decade as determined from experts' opinion and observations from databases.
| Data Missing | Sporadic | Limited Sites | Low Density | High Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 12 | 12 | 21 | 19 |
Relative Abundance 1980-1990
Density values based primarily on the book The Birds of Israel (Shirihai 1996).
| Data Missing | Sporadic | Limited Sites | Low Density | High Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 22 |
Occupancy 1990-2020
The map shows differences in the species breeding distribution between the 1980's breeding map and the current weighted breeding evaluation. Negative value - species previously bred in the grid and is not presently breeding; positive value - species has not previously bred in the grid and is currently breeding.
| Data Missing | No Change | Occupancy Increase | Occupancy Decrease |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 35 | 1 | 9 |
Change in Relative Abundance 1990-2020
The map shows the changes in the relative abundance of a species in each of the distribution grids between the breeding map of the 1980s and the weighted current breeding evaluation. Negative values - decline in abundance; positive values - increase in abundance; zero - no change in abundance.
| 80 to 100 | 50 | 20 to 30 | No Change | 30- to 20- | 50- | 100- to 80- | Data Missing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 16 |
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