Grey-necked Bunting

Emberiza buchanani (Blyth, 1844)

		adult juvenile
2010-06-05 Big Boguty mountains, Almaty oblast 2016-08-30 Almatinskaja obl.,g. Taldykorgan	© Gennadiy Dyakin © Alexandr Belyaev

Distribution

Breeds in the mountains of Southern, Eastern and Central Kazakhstan, and also in Mugodzhary. Please see detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits the rocky gorges and mountain slopes covered with sparse short grass and bushes, close to water, at altitudes up to 2000-2700 m. On migration occurs in the gardens, kitchen-gardens, thickets of tall weeds, and fields. Arrives in early April to early May. Last migrants caught at Chokpak Pass in mid–end of May. Breeds in separate pairs. Nest is built on ground under the grass; from the old grass stems and is lined with thin grass and some horsehairs. Clutch of 4-5 eggs is laid in end of May – June, fresh eggs were found also in early July. Juveniles fledge in end of June – July, but sometimes singing males observed in mid-July. Double breeding has not been proven but very probable. Autumn migration is early and begins probably in early August. In southern regions migrates in small flocks of 10-20 birds from mid-August till mid-September.

Subspecies

Emberiza buchanani buchanani (Blyth, 1844) Description. Mantle is grey, usually without buffy tinge, the dark mantle shaft streaks are more black-brown, less brown or buffy-brown than in cerrutii. Distribution. Breeding and also occurs on migration in southern half of Kazakhstan, in west to lower reaches of Sarysu river, eastern parts of Betpak-Dala desert and Southern Kyzylkum desert, in north to Tengiz lake area and Semipalatinsk. Lives in foothills and at low mountains of Tien Shan, Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Tarbagatay, Monrak, Saur and Southern Altai.

Emberiza buchanani cerrutii (De Filippi, 1863) Description. Matle is grey buffy-tinged, the dark mantle shaft streaks are more brown or buffy-brown, less black-brown than in buchanani. Distribution. Breeds in Mugodzhary ridge, occurs on migration in south from Mugodzhary.

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.