Pallas's Sandgrouse

Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas, 1773)

		female chick
2014-06-05 Ottuk, Issyk-kul region 2014-06-05 Ottuk, Issyk-kul region	© Sergey Toropov © Sergey Toropov

Biology

Common, in places rare breeding migrant. Inhabits the plain or hilly deserts and semi-deserts with solid ground (clay, crushed stone or saline soil) with scarce vegetation; and sometimes the southern steppes with low vegetation; not very far from watering-places. Arrives in end of February – March, sometimes in early April. Nest is shallow reception on bare ground without lining, sometimes under the cover of grass. Clutch of 2-3 eggs is laid in end of March to mid-July. Both parents incubate clutch and care for offspring. Probably rears two broods per season. Regularly flies to watering-places where occurs from late morning to evening. Flying juveniles recorded from end of May. Autumn migration passes in September – early October. Mass flight recorded at Dzungarian Gate through which birds fly to China. Latest birds observed in early November.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 2. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1962. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.