Siberian Accentor

Prunella montanella (Pallas, 1776)

2020-09-10 Krasnoyarsk Territory, Shushensky District	© Sergey Chumakov

Description

The adult Siberian Accentors in fresh autumn plumage have blackish-brown or grayish-brown crown, grey neck-flanks; the neck, back and shoulders are reddish-brown with darker centers of feathers; the undertail is olive-brown. The supercilium is broad buffy-yellow. The lores and ear-coverts are black. The chin, throat, craw and breast are buffy or buffy-yellow, rest underparts are off-white. The flight feathers and its coverts are dark-brown with buffy-brown edges. On the median and greater coverts and on last secondaries there are white terminal patches. The legs are yellow, claws are light brown, bill is black. Eyes are brown. Weight about 18 grams, wing 72-73, tail 68-69 mm.

Distribution

The single Siberian Accentors observed or collected in Katon-Karagay, Ust-Kamenogorsk (6 March 1968, 3 April 1968), at Kurgaldzhino Reserve (25 January 1970), Karaganda (5 August 1947, 8-20 October 1950, 21-28 October 1951, 19 October - 16 November 1952) and in Naurzum Reserve (30 March 1993). One bird recorded 21 October to east of Ural delta. It recorded in Ile valley16 December 1997 and 15 January 2000, in Almaty 2 November 1992 and 29 October 2002 and also in central Kyzylkum, Uzbekistan where one bird obtained 24 October 1973.

Biology

The Siberan Accentor in Kazakhstan is very rare passage migrant or winter visitor. Occurs in the willow or russian olive scrubs along the river shores, in the kitchen gardens and groves. On autumn the single birds and groups of 2-3 birds were observed from early October to mid November; in winter recorded at Kurgaldzhino Reserve and in Ile valley. Spring observations were from early March till early April.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Сибири". Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014.