Saxaul Sparrow

Passer ammodendri nigricans (Stepanyan, 1961)

		male
2010-05-21 Bura, Southern Trans-Balkhash area	© Askar Isabekov

Description

The upper parts background color is more ashy-grey, less buff-greyish; the black neck strip is broader and continues onto upper part of the mantle; the longitudinal black streaks on the mantle are broader and more on numbers than on ammodendri. Male wing length 77.3-83.0 (80.2) mm.

Distribution

Breeds in area south adjoined to Balkhash lake (from lower Ile river up to Aksu delta), in Ile valley and neighbour areas upwards to Borokhudzir. On migration occurs in highlands of Kirgizskiy Alatau, in Chu valley (at Staryy Baytal), in northern Muyunkum desert, at southern shore of Balkhash lake and in Karatal valley. Observed in winter on Issyk-Kul lake.

References

Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. "Птицы Казахстана" том 5. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1974. А.Ф.Ковшарь "Певчие птицы". Алма-Ата, "Кайнар", 1983. "Жизнь Животных" том 5. Птицы. Москва. "Просвещение", 1970.