Pied Bushchat

Saxicola caprata (Linnaeus, 1766)

		male female
2010-06-19 Southern Kazakhstan. Turkestan. 2015-09-05 Turgen river. Almaty oblast.	© Andrey Kovalenko © Ivan Bevza

Description

In spring male of Pied Bushchat is contrast black and white. Most parts are black metallic glossed; only rear-belly, undertail, uppertail and some of wing coverts are all-white. Bill and legs are black. Second-year male is some browner. In fresh plumage upperparts feathers have dark-brownish washed patches, but feathers of breast and wings have broad buff edges. Female is buff-brownish above. Its wings and tail are blackish-horn color; white wing-patch is very little or lack. Uppertail is rusty, underparts are buff, chin and belly are whitish. In fresh plumage wing feathers are with buff edges. Upperparts on juveniles are grayish-brown with yellowish spots; underparts are pale buffy tinged with dark spots on breast. Bill and legs are almost black, eyes are dark-brown. Wing 68.5 - 78.7 mm.

Distribution

Pied Bushchat breeds and also occurs on migration in Kyzylkum oases and in Syrdarya valley from Kzyl-Orda up to Chinaz. In summer of 1984 observed in Biylikol lake area. In June 18 1998 pair recorded in Aksu-Dzhabagly Reserve near Aynakol lake, at 2360 m, where also male with two juveniles observed September 13 1996 and a pair birds September 14 1997. A second year male was ringed at Chokpak Pass 18 May 2004. At May 21 2007 observed in Sorbulak near Almaty.

Biology

Pied Bushchat is rare breeding migrant. It inhabits wet meadows, shores of rivers and irrigation channels; with tall grass and some bushes, near villages often. Its biology in Kazakhstan don't known. Near Tashkent Pied Bushchat appears in end of April. Nest is built on ground under bush or grass tussock, or in stone building; nest is from dry grass and is lined with hair. Clutches of 5-6 eggs founded in early-mid May. Both parents feed juveniles, which fledge at age 10-12 days old. One brood per season. In autumn Pied Bushchat leaves in August - early September.

Subspecies

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 3. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1970. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.