Asian Short-toed Lark

Calandrella cheelensis (Swinhoe, 1871)

2014-11-02 Almaty area. Sorbulak.	© Andrey Kovalenko

Distribution

Inhabits the saline soil plains of the southern half of Kazakhstan, in north to the mouth of Emba river, the lower part of the Sarysu river and the Alakol depression. Probably breeds in the lower Turgay river, at Zhaksy-Akkol, Zhaman-Akkol lakes and near Dzhezkazgan. Occurs in winter in said places. In some opinions recent decades forced from some places by Lesser Short-toed Lark.

Biology

Common, locally rare resident. Inhabits the saline plains with stunted vegetation, rarely among low reeds; the saline-soil patches in wormwood deserts near tamarisk and saxaul bushes; the salty clay depressions with sedge, Salsola and wormwood. On passage occurs in sandy and clay deserts with wormwood or Salsola laricifolia, on rivers and shores of lakes with meadow vegetation. Breeds in separate pairs. Nest is located in scrape under the grass shelter; nest is built from dry grass and is lined with soft grass and some plant fluff. Clutch of 3-5 eggs is laid in end of April - early June. Clutch is incubated by female. Both parents feed juveniles which fledge in end of May - early July. Probably rears two broods per year. In post-breeding time usually occurs in flocks of 1-2 dozen birds.

Subspecies

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Рябицев В. К., Ковшарь А. Ф., Ковшарь В. А., Березовиков Н. Н. «Полевой определитель птиц Казахстана», Алматы, 2014.