Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug saceroides (Bianchi, 1907)

2010-05-18 Torajgyr mountains, Almaty oblast	© Sergey Eliseev

Description

Upper parts are brownish in buffy-reddish spots formed the barring pattern. Upper tail coverts are light bluish-grey. Crown is lighter than mantle, pale-rufous dark-streaked. Under parts are whitish buffy-tinged with rare streaks. Flanks and leg-feathers have rudimentary streaking but without prominent pattern.

Distribution

Probably breeds in Altai, in winter occurs in south-eastern Kazakhstan. Probably birds nesting in Eastern Tien Shan relate to this race.

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.