Common Oystercatcher

Haematopus ostralegus (Linnaeus, 1758)

2015-05-04 Tokmok, Chu riv	© Irina Romanovskaia

Biology

Rare breeding migrant. Inhabits the sandy and pebbly shores and islands, saline-soil shores with rare vegetation, stony islands on the rivers and lakes. In spring arrives from the early March to end of April (or in early May in northern areas) singly, in pairs or in small groups of 3-5 birds. Intensive flight was observed near Aralsk town where the flocks of 50-70 birds were not rare. Migration finishes in mid – end May. Breeds in separate pairs not close one pair to another (from several hundred meters to 1-2 km apart). Nest is located in the shallow hole on the sandy, saline-soil, pebbly shore; hole is sometimes lined with several dry grass stems. Clutch of 2-3 (rare 4) eggs is produced from the end of April to early June. Both parents incubate for about 27 days, and care for juveniles which hatch in June and begin to fly in end June – July. Re-nesting after loss of first clutch on account of flooding was observed. The autumn migration begins in August in flocks of up to 50-70 birds, most birds disappear in September.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999.