Report on

Gistsov, A.P. et al. (1995): Autumn migration of birds in Balkhash-Alakol Depression (Russian). Ornithologia 26, p. 136-142

[Гисцов А.П., Шимов С.В. & Ауэзов Э.М.: Осенняя миграция птиц в Балхаш-Алакольской впадине]

(APUSlist No. 1183)

by IGOR FEFELOV 

In 1987, observations of autumn migration were carried out on the northwest bank of Lake Alakol' in eastern Kazakhstan from 31 Aug to 28 Sep; and in the Tentek River-Delta (Lake Sasykkol') from 29 Sep to 28 Oct. Visual observations and special observing with
vertically-directed binoculars were used for day migrants, and telescopes pointed at the moon for night migrants.

The total migration number per autumn along a 1 km migration front (migration density) for Apodiformes was (birds per 1 km):

Lake Alakol':                2476                (2.48 % of all birds)
Tentek River-Delta,            6                (0.01 %)
Total                            2482                (1.6 %)

The average altitude of Swift migration was 115 m. Swifts migrated mainly in the evening  (69.9 %). At Lake Alakol', direction of migration was as follows: S (2360 of 2476 individuals); SW 92; N  24.
In the Tentek River-Delta, of 6 Swifts, 4 flew W, 2 flew SW

© APUSlife 2013, No. 5086
ISSN 1438-2261