Terek Sandpiper

Xenus cinereus (Guldenstadt, 1775)

2009-05-19 Sorbulak lake, Almaty oblast	©

Description

Adult Terek Sandpiper in summer plumage is grey brownish tinged above; with narrow longitudinal streaks on all feathers and with longitudinal black streaks on mantle-flanks (which formed by broad black spots on feathers of shoulders). Forehead and supercilium are white, lores is dark-brownish. Upper tail coverts are with narrow dark cross-strips. Underparts including axillaries are white with brownish streaks on craw, head-flanks and breast. Primaries are dark-brown, secondaries are grey-brownish white tipped. Tail feathers are grey with mottles on inner webs. Bill is black, long (1.5 times longer than tarsus), thin, heavy upturned. Legs are yellowish. Eyes are dark-brown. Winter plumage is distinguished from summer ones by obscurity of black streaks on upperparts and streaks on head and craw. Juveniles are similar on winter adults but its upperparts feathers are with buffy edges. Sizes - wing 121-137, tarsus 26-34, bill 37-54 mm.

Distribution

On migration Terek Sandpiper occurs throughout in plain Kazakhstan, in mountains recorded on Markakol lake regularly.

Biology

Terek Sandpiper is common passage migrant. It occurs on rivers, fresh and slightly saline lakes with muddy, sandy or grassy shores. In spring it appears in end April - early May, and recorded up to mid-June in small groups and flocks of 30-40, up to 100 birds. Autumn migration begins in early July, when adult birds migrate. Majority of birds migrate in August - early September, when juveniles dominate in migrating flocks. From northern areas Terek Sandpipers disappear in mid-September, but from southern ones in end of this month only.

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.