No Synonyms

Description

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits dry steppe, semi-desert, and forest-steppe zone episodically, with or without bushes, often not far from lakes and meadows, especially in dry summers. Appears end March – early April in the south (latest record at Chokpak Pass 1 May) and end April in north areas. Nest is built on ground or rarely on pile of old reeds or hay-cocks from old dry stems and lined with grass. Clutches of 3-7, usually 4-5 eggs end April or May – June. Female incubate for nearly 30 days, male feed her. Chicks noted end May – July; both parents feed juveniles, which fly end June – August. Autumn migration begins end August, most birds migrate September – October. Latest observations end October. Like other harriers, they migrate mostly singly or in small groups but at Chokpak Pass on 5 September 1969 a loose flock of 174 harriers flew for 30 minutes (6.30-7.00 hours) at height of about 1000 m (species not identified).

Distribution

Breeds in northern half of Kazakhstan, south to Kamysh-Samarskiye lakes, upper reaches of Emba river, Dzhezkazgan, an area north of Balkhash lake, Kalbinskiy Altai, southern foothills of Tarbagatay and probably in eastern part of Dzhungarskiy Alatau; also in Syrdarya river valley and western foothills of Chu-Iliyskiye Mts., where was common in 2003. Widespread on migration. Sometimes winters in Zaysan depression, near Ust-Kamenogorsk 12 November 1995 and 5 November 1978 observed close to Makanchi.

References

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