Eastern Rock Nuthatch

Sitta tephronota (Sharpe, 1872)

2019-08-27 Naryn - Kazarman road	© Irina Romanovskaia

Biology

Common resident. Inhabits the rocky gorges with cliffs on mountain usually forestless slopes, at altitudes 400-2000 m, where occurs all the year around. Breeds in separate pairs fairly far one from another. Nest is located on rock or rarely on grave clay monument, at height 1-30 m above the ground; nest is built from clay, and resembles a jug attached to a rock by bottom. The weight of this bulky construction is 3-5, up to 18 kilograms. The nest chamber lined with dry grass, feathers and hair. Both parents construct nest which used in several next years. Clutch of 4-9, usually 5-7 eggs is laid in early April to first ten days of June. Female incubates only, male brings her the food. Both parents feed juveniles which fledge in mid-May to end of July. A fairly long time the broods stay together and do not break up (to September), but most of the year birds live singly.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 4. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1972. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.