Inhabits mountain forests of eastern and south-eastern Kazakhstan. Please see detailed distribution in the section "Subspecies".
Rare resident. Inhabits mountain spruce or larch forests, on Altai 1400-2000 m, in Tien Shan 1500-3000 m. On dispersal occurs in deciduous, mixed pine-birch and pine forests of river valleys, and in foothills. Breeding in separate pairs. For breeding used the old nests of corvids or the tree holes. Clutches of 3-4 eggs. Fledglings recorded in end of May – mid-June. In early August in Ketmen ridge female from a brood was obtained. Autumn dispersal begins in September. In Ural valley recorded from mid-October.
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.
