Eurasian Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium passerinum (Linnaeus, 1758)

2012-10-14 VKO Katon-Karagay	© Vladimir Vorobyov

Distribution

Occasionally breeding on Western Altai nearby Ust-Kamenogorsk and at Ubinskiy ridge on Sinyukha Mt. In winter occurs in coniferous woods at Kustanay, Petropavlovsk, in Irtysh valley, on Southern Altai in Kara-Kaba valley and in Tarbagatay ridge. Vagrant birds recorded in mid-January 1959 at Kurgaldzhino. Close to Almaty (Medeo) observed at 2 January 1992, but this may be cage escaped bird.

Biology

Very rare resident. Inhabits mountain taiga forest. Breeding in separate pairs. Nests in tree holes. Clutches of 4-6 eggs. Broods of 5 juveniles recorded 18 July 1968 and 26 July 1981 at 1700 m. Dispersing begins in October, when singles were observed on plains.

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.