White-throated Robin

Irania gutturalis (Guerin-Meneville, 1843)

		male female
2016-06-07 Karatau, Southern Kazakhstan region 2015-05-31 Ertai village, Jambul region	© Vassiliy Fedorenko © Vassiliy Fedorenko

Distribution

Breeds and occurs on migration in Western Tien Shan: at Chimgan, on Ugam and Pskem rivers, in Talasskiy Alatau to east up to Kirgizskiy Alatau and in Karatau to the north up to Mynzhilke. In early May 1984 three males observed in Malaysary Mts., Dzhungarskiy Alatau. At 7 June 2003 two pairs recorded in Syugaty ridge, Zailiyskiy Alatau. On migration rarely occurs at Chokpak Pass, where ringed 17 May 1987. Single specimen (late May 1882) collected near Orenburg.

Biology

Common breeding summer resident. Inhabits dry mountain slopes with rocky outcrops and bushes (dogrose, argan tree, buckthorn, barberry, hawthorn, rowan-tree, juniper) at 800-2200 m. On migration occurs in woodland belts also. In spring arrives in late April. Breeds in separate pairs, quite far from each other. Nest is built in bush at 0.3-0.5 m above the ground, from grass stems and bast lined with dry grass and bast strips by female only. Clutch of 4-5 eggs in early May – beginning of June. Both parents feed juveniles, which fledge in mid-June. Independent juveniles observed in mid-July. In Talasskiy Alatau latest birds recorded in end August – mid-September.

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., Ковшарь А. Ф., Ковшарь В. А., Березовиков Н. Н. «Полевой определитель птиц Казахстана», Алматы, 2014.