Pallid Harrier

Circus macrourus (S.G.Gmelin, 1771)

		adult male
2021-12-31 Sretenka, Chui region	© Aziza Abdurakhmanova

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits the dry steppe, semi-desert, and episodically the forest-steppe zone, often not far from lakes and meadows, especially in dry summers. Appears in end of March – early April in the southern parts of Kazakhstan and in end of April in northern ones. Nest is built on ground or rarely on pile of old reeds or on haycocks, from the old dry stems and is lined with grass. Clutches of 3-7, usually 4-5 eggs is in end of April to June. Female incubate for nearly 30 days, male feed it. Chicks were noticed from end of May to July; both parents feed juveniles, which begin to fly in end of June – August. Autumn migration begins in end of August, most birds migrate in September – October. Like other harriers, they migrate mostly singly or in small groups.

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.