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Numerous breeding migrant. Inhabits the deciduous, mixed or pine forests, groves, steppe forest patches in plains; only the low belt of deciduous forests (apple-tree, apricot-tree, asp, elm) in mountains; the riparian forests in deserts; the gardens, old shelterbelts, villages and towns. In spring arrives in early April to May, migration finishes in early June. Breeds by separate pairs. Nests is located in tree holes, nest-boxes (often expels the owners), old nests of Magpie and other species at height 2-8 m above the ground; rare in holes in clay precipice or among the stones; and as an exception Scops-Owl on their own builds a nest from thin twigs (like Turtle Dove). Clutch of 3-6 eggs is laid in April to late June. Re-nesting after loss of clutch often occurs. Nuptial call of males in Almaty can be heard up to early July. Mostly female incubates clutch for 25 days from the laying of first egg, but male helps her. Both parents feed juveniles which fledge in July to end August. Autumn migration begins in early August. At Chokpak Pass most birds migrate in first ten days of September and first half of October, latest birds recorded in end of October.

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.