Olive-backed Pipit

Anthus hodgsoni (Richmond, 1907)

2014-08-20 Chernaya Uba river, Western Altai, Eastern Kazakhstan	© Vassiliy Fedorenko

Distribution

Breeds in Altai where adult and juvenile were recorded on 22 July 2001 near Berel village and singing male was observed 27 May 2002 on Rakhmanovskiye Springs. Early found only at Seminskiy Pass near border with Russia. On migration occurs on plains in Volga-Ural area, near Balkhash lake (3 October 1936), at Chokpak Pass (25 September 2002), in Kurgaldzhino (10 May 2008). Several birds were recorded near Tengiz lake, but this fact was not proved documentary.

Biology

Rare breeding migrant. Inhabits forest edges and light coniferous or spruce/birch forests at altitudes 900-2300 m. In Siberia appears in mid-late May, one bird collected 25 April 1965 by G.V.Lindeman near Dzhanybek village in the Volga-Ural interfluve. Nest is built in the shallow hollow under the grass or bush; nest is constructed from the dry grass, and sometimes is lined with hair. Clutches of 4-5 eggs is laid in June, juveniles fledge in end of July - August. Autumn migration begins in August (one bird obtained at 10 August 1929 in Chinese Tarbagatay), but most of birds migrate probably in September.

Subspecies

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.
Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.
В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.