Hen Harrier

Circus cyaneus (Linnaeus, 1766)

		adult male female juvenile
2021-03-06 Bishkek, Alamudun 2022-04-17 Suusamyr valley, Chui region2015-11-14 Alamedin reservoir Chui valley.	© Philippe Campeau © Tatiana Menshikova© Irina Romanovskaia

Biology

Rare breeding migrant, but not uncommon on migration. Inhabits the tall grass meadows amongst forests. Appears in end of February to March, latest migrating birds observed in mid-May. Nest is built on ground from the dry thin twigs and grass. Laying of 2-5, more often 4-5 eggs is in end May - June. Females begin incubating from the first egg laying for about 30 days; males feed them. Juveniles fledge at 35-40 days old in mid-July - August. Autumn migration begins in August. On Markakol lake they disappear to the end of September, in southern areas they appear in September; peak of migration is in 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.