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Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler is rare breeding migrant. It inhabits wet meadows and marshes with tall grass and scattered bushes and trees at 800-2100 m. On migration occurs in reed beds. Appears in mid-June. It breeds in separate pairs. Nest is built in dwarf birch bushes at 5-20 cm above ground, or in sedge tussock; from dry grass. Clutches of 4-6 eggs is founded in end of June - late July. Both parents feed juveniles, which fledge in July - August. In autumn Pallas' Grasshopper Warbler leaves breeding places in late August - early September. On Alakol lake it recorded in end July - late August, near Dzharkent in end August - early September.

Distribution

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler breeds on Altai in woody parts of Ubinsky, Ulbinsky, Ivanovsky, Lineiny and Kholzunovsky ridges, in August 1987 pair observed at foothills of Altaiskiy Tarbagatay. In May 18 - July 12 1993 singing was regularly heard at 10 km north-east from Ust-Kamenogorsk and two birds were observed August 30 2002 in upper current of Bukhtarma river. Lives in Kondysu valley in foothills of Monrak ridge, in lower of Chernyy Irtysh river and in foothills of Dzhungarskiy Alatau near Dzharkent. In summer and on migration occurs in Alakol depression.

Biology

Male and female of Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in breeding plumage have brownish-grey upperparts; with slightly darker head and brownish uppertail. Nape is grayish, some paler in male. Supecillium is buffy-grey. Head, nape and fore part of back have dark core-spots dispersed on uppertail. Flight feathers are brownish with pale edges. On brownish tail feathers (central pair is rusty-brown or clay-brown) the dark pre-terminal and pale terminal strips are well appreciable; sometimes tail feathers are slightly barred. Underparts are buffy-white, slightly brownish tinged on flanks. Undertail are buffy. Underwings are grayish-white. Upper mandible is dark, low mandible is yellowish, legs are pale, eyes are pale-brown. Juveniles have yellowish tone on underparts and streaks on throat and breast.

References

"Птицы Казахстана" том 4. 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.