Order PASSERIFORMES | Family PARIDAE |

© Andrey Kovalenko

Distribution

Blablabla. The detailed distribution in Kazakhstan please see in the chapter "Races".

Races:
Parus cyanus cyanus Pallas, 1770
Parus cyanus hyperrhiphaeus Dementiev et Heptner, 1932
Parus cyanus yenisseensis Buturlin, 1911
Parus cyanus koktalensis Portenko, 1954
Parus cyanus tianschanicus Menzbier, 1884

Synonyms

Cyanistes cyanus

Description

Blablabla

Biology

Common, in places rare resident. Inhabits deciduous and riparian forest, groves, gardens, and occasionally reed-beds with shrubs or mixed and coniferous forest with shrubs under growth, both on plains and in mountains up to 2500 m. On dispersal prefers deciduous forest and groves. Breeding in separate pairs not close one to other. Pairs form from mid February. Nest is built in tree hole, in building cavities and stone constructions, (nest boxes are used very readily), in pile of old reeds or in ground hole of Muskrat even, from thin twigs, dry grass and moss lined with plenty of hair, feathers and cotton wool, for two weeks or some more. It situates not height above ground mainly. Clutches of 4-9 eggs in early May – early July, female incubates for 13-14 days. Both parents feed juveniles, which fledge in mid-June – early August. Though breeding is very long, it is not proved up to present, how much brood are reared by a pair per year. In August – September, after moult is finished, they begin to disperse singly, in two or up to 15-20 birds. P.c.tianshanicus hybridises with Yellow-breasted Azure Tit, such specimens with trace of yellow on breast and sides observed in May of 2002 at Maloye Almatinskoye gorge near Medeo.

References

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

 

Races

Parus cyanus cyanus Pallas, 1770

    head white. Back darker, more bluish, and less greyish-bluish; white colour on secondaries less distributed than hyperrhiphaeus.
    Probably this race occurs on dispersal and in winter in Western Kazakhstan.


Azure Tit (Parus cyanus hyperrhiphaeus)

Parus cyanus hyperrhiphaeus Dementiev et Heptner, 1932

    Head white. Back lighter, more greyish-bluish, and less bluish; white colour on secondaries more distributed than cyanus.
    Breeding in middle current of Ural valley, in Northern Kazakhstan (Naurzum, Petropavlovsk area, Kokchetav upland), at Borovoye, Alekseyevka and Akmola, in eastern part of Kazakhishe upland (Bayanaul, Kent, Kyzylray), near Karaganda and in Kalbinskiy Altai, east up to western foothills of Altai. On dispersal and in winter occurs somewhat southern also (in particular, in Kurgaldzhino) and several times near Chelkar station in autumn.


Azure Tit (Parus cyanus yenisseensis)

Parus cyanus yenisseensis Buturlin, 1911

    Head with grey shade. Back lighter than cyanus, but darker than hyperrhiphaeus. White colour on secondaries distributed near the same, as at cyanus.
    Breeding in Southwest Altai, in Zaysan depression, Saur ridge and in eastern part of Dzhungarskiy Alatau. Here occurs also on dispersal and in winter.


Azure Tit (Parus cyanus koktalensis)

Parus cyanus koktalensis Portenko, 1954

    Colour is similar to hyperrhiphaeus, and differs by more massive bill.
    Breeding in Chu valley, on area adjacent to Balkhash lake from south, in lower current of Ile, Karatal, Lepsy and Aksu rivers and in Alakol' depression. In the same area occurs in winter.


Azure Tit (Parus cyanus tianschanicus)

Parus cyanus tianschanicus Menzbier, 1884

    Head with intensive grey shade, and darker than yenisseensis. Back is the same dark as cyanus, and darker than yenisseensis and hyperrhiphaeus. White colour on secondaries less distributed than cyanus and yenisseensis.
    Breeding and wintering in Tien Shan, Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Tarbagatay, in middle and upper current of Ile valley.

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