Brown Shrike

Lanius cristatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

		male female
2021-06-03 East Kazakhstan region, Katon-Karagai SNNP 2012-08-09 Western-Altay Researve, VKO	© Gleb Bolbotov © Anatoly Taran

Distribution

Occasionally breeding in Western Altai, in particular at source of Belaya Uba, in the Palevaya valley on Ivanovskiy ridge, at Poperechnoye settlement and near Markakol’ lake in the southern Altai. It is not recorded outside Altai region. Records for Kurgaldzhino Reserve not confirmed.

Biology

Very rare breeding summer resident. Inhabits mixed and light coniferous forest and taiga edge at an altitude of 1450-2000 m. Arrives late May - early June. Breeds separately. Nest is built (only by the female?) in bush from thin twigs and grass stems lined with rootlets, grass and moss. Clutches of 3-5 eggs in mid - end June. Juveniles fledge mid - late July. No migration data available.

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.