Ibisbill

Ibidorhyncha struthersii (Vigors, 1832)

		spring autumn chicks
1996-05-19 Ketmen ridge, Altyngen river. 2012-10-21 Borohudzir, Almaty region1990-06-09 Trans Ili Mts, Lake river	© Oleg Belyalov © Gennadiy Dyakin© Oleg Belyalov

Description

Adult Ibisbills in summer have brownish forehead, crown, head-flanks from bill to eyes, chin and throat bordered by white on head-flanks and throat. Head-flanks behind eyes and nape are bluish-grey. Craw is bluish-grey and bordered from beast by narrow white and broad black-brownish bands. Back and wings are grey brownish tinged. Uppertail is ashy-grey. Breast, belly, undertail and axillaries are white. Tail feathers are brownish-grey dark petty barred and with black tips; outer bases of outer tail feathers are white. Some of tail feathers are with white spots. Bill and legs are red. Eyes are red. In wither plumage the head and throat have much white feathers. Juveniles have forehead and throat with buffy mottles; chin and throat are white. Feathers of upperparts have narrow pale tips. The band over craw is grayish without white border. Legs and bill are brownish. Sizes: wing 220 – 245 mm, bill 70 – 82 mm.

Distribution

Ibisbill lives in highlands of Central and Northern Tien Shan, in Kazakhstan in valleys of Bolshaya and Malaya Almatinka, Chilik (and its inflow Zhenishke), Issyk, Karkara, Bayankol, Chulkudysu rivers. It breeds also in Dzhungarskiy Alatau and its foothills, where in 1964 two pairs bred on Tentek river and on Orta-Tentek river in 2001. 5 vagrants birds recorded in steppe foothills of north-western Altai near Pospelikha station August 23 1973.

Biology

Ibisbill is rare resident. Inhabits wide enough pebbly shores and islands of mountain rivers, at 880-3200 m, and rare on 500 m only. Breeds in separate pairs, fairly far one of other. Pairs form in April. Nest is built from small pebbles, which is added during incubation. 4860 stones, weighting 636 grams, were counted in one nest. Clutches of 4, rare 2-3 eggs in late April - May. Both parents incubate and care for chicks, which hatch in June and begin to fly in July - August. Post-fledging dispersal is not well known. A flock of 12 birds (two broods) recorded on Bolshoye Almatinskoye lake at August. In severe winters fly to lower altitude, where feeding conditions much better.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. Алма-Ата, 1962. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.