Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus (Linnaeus, 1766)

		male female juvenile
2015-08-03 Kostanay region Karabalyk district, Terentyevka. 2015-08-03 Kostanay region Karabalyk district, Terentyevka.2014-08-11 Akmolinskaya obl, Korgalzhyn	© Yuriy Malkov © Yuriy Malkov© Alexandr Fedulin

Distribution

Breeds in northern Kazakhstan in south to Urda, lower reaches of Ural river, middle current of Emba, Naurzum, Astana, foothills of Western Altai, western part of Kalbinskiy Altai, valleys of Bukhtarma and Chernyy Irtysh rivers. On migration occurs in south from breeding range (including Chokpak Pass), a stray bird observed 27 April 1982 on Markakol lake.

Biology

Red-footed Falcon is common, in places abundant breeding migrant. Inhabits the areas in the forest-steppe and steppe zones in which the groves and riparian forests alternated by open areas. In spring appears in mid-April – early May, the latest spring migrant were observed near Arys station on May 10th. Migrates in flocks and singly; the migration is slightly visible. Breeds in loose colonies or by separate pairs. Nest is built in deciduous (rare coniferous) tree, often the old Crow, Rook or Magpie nests are used. Clutches of 2-6 (usually 3-4) eggs is in end of May – early June. The female incubates mostly, but male relays female on short time and sometimes brings the food. In first time only male brings the food to nestlings, but later both parents feed juveniles. Juveniles hatch from the end of June to mid-July and fledge in the end of July – August. The autumn migration begins in August, the great migration in flocks observed at Western Kazakhstan in first decade of September.

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.