Merlin

Falco columbarius lymani (Bangs, 1913)

		male
2015-09-10 Almaty region	© Oleg Belyalov

Description

The male’s upper parts are pale-grey with clay-yellowish borders on scapulars and upper wing coverts. Head is with yellowish tinge and narrow streaks. Under parts are rusty with narrow and blurred streaks. The female’s upper parts are clay-brown with defined cross pattern. Male wing length 226-242 (231), female 241-252 (250) mm.

Distribution

Breeds in Tien Shan (including Chulkudysu valley and Talasskiy Alatau ridge), in Dzhungarskiy Alatau and Saur ridges. In Southwest Altai the reliable nesting is not known, but in Central Altai close to Berel village the brood recorded in July 31 2004. Resident, the seasonal migration are apparently only vertical migration. In winter always occurs in foothills of Tien Shan, but subspecies status of these birds is not identified.

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. Г.П.Дементьев, Н.А.Гладков, Е.С.Птушенко, Е.П.Спангенберг, А.М.Судиловская. "Птицы Советского Союза" Том I. Москва, 1951.