Great White Egret

Egretta alba (Linnaeus, 1758)

		probably non-breeding summer winter
2010-07-12 Alakol lake 2010-07-12 Alakol lake2010-09-02 Sorbulak lake, Almaty oblast	© Gennadiy Dyakin © Gennadiy Dyakin© Askar Isabekov

Distribution

Breeds on waters of southern part of Kazakhstan, in north to Kushum reservoirs, lower reaches of Uil river, in Naurzum Reserve, on Kurgaldzhin lakes and in Zaysan depression. On dispersal observed in north to Ilek river, Sergeevskoye reservoir in Northern Kazakhstan, and Pavlodar. Accidental recorded on Markakol lake 20 August 1980. In winter observed in valleys of Syrdarya, Chu and Ile rivers, on Irtysh river near Ust-Kamenogorsk (4 January 1995), on Sorbulak lake close to Almaty, and in foothills of Talas Alatau ridge.

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits plain lakes with the plenty reed-beds, trees, bushes, nearby the shallow water. In spring appears early in the time of emergence of the first patches of open water, but the majority of birds migrate in small flocks from the mid-March to early April (in a late spring only at the end of April). Begins to breed immediately after arrival. Nests in separate pairs or in small colonies of one-two dozen pairs, often together with Grey Heron and Spoonbill. Nest is located in the reed-beds; is built from the dry reed stems and leaves, or rarely from thin twigs in the case of location of the nest on trees. Clutch of 3-4, rare 5 eggs is produced from mid-April to beginning of May. Juveniles begin to fly from mid-May to beginning of August. At first Egrets disperse by families, then are united in flocks sometimes numbering to 1500 birds. Autumn migration is intensive mostly in September – early October.

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. "Птицы Сибири" справочник-определитель, в 2 томах. Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014.