Races:
Circus cyaneus cyaneus Linnaeus, 1766

Synonyms

Circus cyaneus cernuus Tayer et Bangs, 1914
Circus cyaneus taissiae Buturlin, 1908

Description

Rare breeding migrant, not uncommon during migration. Inhabits tall grass meadows amongst forests. Appears end February – March, latest migrating birds observed mid-May. Nest is built on ground from dry thin twigs and grass. Clutches of 2-5, more often 4-5 eggs end May – June. Females begin incubating from first egg for nearly 30 days; males feed them. Juveniles fledge at 35-40 days old mid-July – August. Autumn migration begins in August. On Markakol’ lake they disappear by end September, in southern areas they appear in September; with peak migration in October; latest birds recorded end October – November.

Distribution

Probably breeds in forest-steppe zone of Northern Kazakhstan; nests in mountains of south-west Altai, in Malaya Ul’ba valley, and also in Dzhungarskiy Alatau near Topolevka village. Widespread on migration. Wintering in southern and south-eastern Kazakhstan.

References

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