Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata (Linnaeus, 1758)

2010-05-25 Aktogay	© Boris Gubin

Distribution

Breeds in northern part of Kazakhstan. On migration occurs almost everywhere. Please see detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits the feather-grass steppes, meadows in river valleys, the saline soil or meadow lands near the lakes and rivers. In spring appears in mid-March – early April, intensive traffic of migration observed in April; migrates in small groups and flocks, sometimes numbering up to one hundred birds. Breeds in separate pairs at least 0.5 km one of other. Nest is built on dry ground in shallow hole, and is lined with dry grass. Both parents incubate for 26-28 days and care for juveniles. Clutches of 4 eggs is in May – early June, chicks are born in the end of May – mid-June. In post-breeding time broods join in flocks and disperse on steppe. Regularly visits the watering places. Migration begins in July – August; fly in big flocks numbering up to several hundreds birds, the latest birds registered in end of October.

Subspecies

Numenius arquata arquata (Linnaeus, 1758) Description. Overall tone of the color of plumage is darker. Dark streaks on upper parts are larger; light edges of feather are narrow dark-buffy. Dark streaks on under parts are broad; flanks are bar-patterned. On axillaries there are dark streaks and mottles which sometimes formed the bar-pattern. On rump the dark streaks developed, upper tail coverts are with cross black-brown bars. Distribution. Breeds in Western Kazakhstan, between Volga valley and upper reaches of Emba intergrades with orientalis.

Numenius arquata orientalis (C.L. Brehm, 1831) Description. Overall tone of the color of plumage is lighter. Dark streaks on upper parts are smaller, light edges of feather are broad pale-buff. Dark streaks on under parts are narrow, the flanks are usually lack the pattern. Dark streaks on axillaries are lack or faint. On rump the dark streaks are lack or faint; upper tail coverts with narrow shaft streaks. Distribution. Breeds in northern part of Kazakhstan, to east from Mugodzhary ridge, in south to lower of Turgay, Zaysan and Alakol depressions. In Zailiyskiy Alatau ridge on 1600 m the nest with 4 eggs found 10 May 2003. On migration occurs in south from breeding range. Vagrant observed 25 August 1977 on Markakol lake.

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.