Races:
Mycerobas carnipes merzbacheri Schalow, 1908

Synonyms

Mycerobas carnipes centralis Portenko, 1960
Mycerobas carnipes tianschanicus Stepanyan, 1960

Description

Common, in places rare or accident resident. Inhabits juniper forest, bushes and juniper-spruce light forest at 1900-2500 m in Talasskiy Alatau, and 2200-3000 m in Zailiyskiy Alatau. On dispersal and in winter visits lower belts and xerophytic mountains with apple tree, hawthorn, dog rose. Breeding in separate pairs, not close then 100-150 m from each other. Nest is built by female (male escorts her) in juniper or spruce at 0.4-17 m above ground from thin twigs, grass stems and some moss pieces lined with juniper bast. Clutches of 2-5 eggs found in end March – early September, mainly from mid-May till end July. Repeated breeding after loss of first nest is common, but some pairs rear two broods per year, that was proved by colour ringing (Kovshar, 1977). Both parents incubate for 14-16 days and feed juveniles, which fledge at 20 days old. Dispersal in lower altitude in flocks of 10-20 birds begins in November, latest birds observed here in early April.

Distribution

Breeding in Tien Shan (Ugamskiy, Talasskiy, Kirgizskiy, Zailiyskiy and Kungey Alatau, Ketmen ridges) and in Dzhungarskiy Alatau. It occupies also Saur. In summer recorded in upper reaches of Bukhtarma valley, that allows assume its breeding in Southern Altai. Probably it lives in places in Tarbagatay. On dispersal and in winter it comes down to foothills and on adjacent plains, reaching Chu-Iliyskiye Mts. In winter observed 29 November 1981 on Markakol' lake and in Bukhtarma valley 7 February 1977.

References

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