No Synonyms

Description

Before it was common, but now a rare breeding migrant. Inhabits deep lakes with rich reed-bed and other vegetation. Appears early March – late April, sometimes even early May. Migrates in small groups of 10-30 birds and also in pairs. Nest is built in reed-beds, on floating old reed stems, muskrat homes or very rarely at edge of water under cover of bushes, from old reed leaves and lined with down. Clutches of 6-15 eggs early May – end of June. Only female incubates 25-28 days, male stay nearby. Juveniles hatch early June – mid-July, and begin to fly end July – August. Often both parents rear brood. No moult migration or moult concentration recorded. Autumn migration begins third decade September; some birds recorded end October – mid-November.

Distribution

Breeding mainly in southern half of Kazakhstan. Northern limit is not well known and probably passes through lower reaches of Kushum and Ilek rivers, Selety lake, around Semipalatinsk, Chiliktinskaya valley (a brood recorded 12 July 1963) and Chernyy Irtysh river delta. Previously (in 1930-1950) nested in Naurzum Reserve, but now only recorded during migration. Widespread on migration and occasionally winters south of Chimkent and in lower reaches of Charyn river. Vagrant observed 1 October 1900 on Markakol' lake.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.