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Common breeding migrant, in non-breeding areas numerous passage migrant or common winter visitor. Inhabits the deciduous forests in rivers valleys, the birch groves on hummock marshes, the dry light pine forests without bushes, or mountain forests at altitudes up to 1450 m. On migration occurs in shelterbelts, riparian forests, groves, kitchen gardens and thickets of tall weeds. In spring in southern areas migrates from the end of February – early March until the end of April – early May in flocks of several dozen or several hundred birds, often together with Brambling; but in northern areas migrates from mid-April to first ten days of May. Breeds in separate pairs. Nest is located on tree at height 1.5-15 m above the ground; nest is built from the thin grass, rootlets, moss and lichen and is lined with hair. Clutch of 4-6 eggs is laid from April to early June, female incubates clutch for 12-13 days. Both parents feed nestlings which fledge at age 12-14 days old, in end of May to late July. Autumn migration begins in mid-August – early September, the intensive migration flight is observed in Ural valley and along the foothills of Tien Shan where flocks of several hundred birds often observed.

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. Издательство Уральского университета, 2000. "Птицы Казахстана" том 5. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1974.