Features of Bird Distributions in Different Types of Macro Landscapes (Biotypes) in the Kyzyl Kum Desert

Abstract

One hundred and forty species of birds have been credibly recognised (during 1970–1990) as Kyzyl Kum desert inhabitants. They are distributed in seven arid landscapes that are unequal in edaphic and floristic characteristics. The most environmentally capacious landscape is the spates of artesian lakes and banks with grass–shrub complexes, where 83 bird species were found. The valleys of dry riverbeds occupied with tamarisk saxaul groves contained 56 bird species. The smallest species range (16) was observed in the variations of the takyr spaces with poor vegetation.

This paper also outlines the relative abundance of 40 species of birds that are typical inhabitants of desert landscapes. We studied four of their habitats, and the effects of seasonal changes on the species composition of shorebirds in three artesian lakes were determined.

Keywords

Avifauna ; Kyzyl Kum desert ; Migration

Introduction

The avifauna of the Kyzyl Kum desert has been attracting the attention of naturalists who visited the area since the second half of the XIX century (Severtsev, 1873 ; Bogdanov, 1882  ;  Zahidov, 1971 ). In-depth research of the birds in that territory was initiated by the tireless researcher N.A. Zarudny (1914) . His name is associated with the drafting of the first full list of bird species in the area, which included nearly 230 bird species. Another list of bird species (254) focused on the northeastern outskirts of Kyzyl Kum and covered the lower reaches of the Syrdarya River (Spangenberg and Feigin, 1930  ;  Spangenberg, 1941 ). Much later, route observations were carried out within the strip of the desert that includes the Syr Darya delta. The lists generated by Kovshar, 2000a  ;  Kovshar, 2000b included 80 and 128 bird species, respectively.

Of all of the Kyzyl Kum desert avifauna studies, that of Zahidov (1971) found the greatest species diversity of birds (256) and included an environmental analysis of their dynamics in the seasonal aspect.

The avifauna of the described desert has been studied relatively thoroughly. Nevertheless, there is a lack of acute observations on the ecology of almost all territories, except for scattered incomplete information about some bird species (Sabilaev, 2002a ; Sabilaev, 2002b ; Sabilaev, 2009 ; Sabilaev, 2012a  ;  Sabilaev, 2012b ). To date, the degree of fidelity of certain species of birds to certain elements (varieties or biotypes) within the macro landscape of the desert, in other words, the spatial arrangement of these animals, has not been determined. The aim of this research was to obtain that information.

Materials and Methods

The observations were carried out on semi-stationary basis for more than 20 years (1970–1990) in the West (all of Karakalpakstan) and North (part of Kazakhstan) Kyzyl Kum territories with coordinates between 41–45° N and 60–64° E. The studied areas extended between the valleys of the lower reaches of the Syr and Amudarya. The bird species were identified and the quantitative assessments were performed visually using binoculars (sometimes by culling) on routes of a total length of 745 km (230 km by foot, 515 km by vehicle). For the same purpose, 30 anthropogenic structures (15 graves and cemeteries; six ruins; three wells woven inside by haloxylon; and six settlements) were regularly inspected. Additionally, an ornitho complex consisting of 18 reservoirs formed by artesian wells with a total area of 114 ha was examined. Three reservoirs (Donkazgan, Kamysty, Uchtagan) became the sites for the observation of the dynamics of the species range of aquatic and semi-aquatic birds (waders).

Results and Discussion

It is worth noting that the total number of reliably recognised bird species obtained during the registration and counting period throughout the perennial routes was 140, which is considerably less than that obtained by previous authors. The main reason for this is that I, as a mammalogist, could not always immediately identify the species of birds that I observed from a distance. This was especially an issue in the spring, when many small and medium-sized passerine flocks of approximately 3–7 individuals migrate across the Kyzyl Kum territory and only linger for a short time to feed before flying away.

Numerous artesian lakes attract different species of gulls from the Aral Sea. In the autumn migration period (October), there is a variety of ducks on freshets of water from the wells.

Another important reason for the incomplete coverage of the specific contingent of birds in the described area is that these observations were conducted simultaneously with the execution of an epizootiological survey.

Nevertheless, extensive observational records collected for more than 20 years in the same ecological areas, mainly in the spring, summer and autumn months and occasionally in the winter, enabled the author to objectively identify the features of the landscape distribution of the Kyzyl Kum ornitho complex.

The principal measure used for determining the preference degree of the bird species and their groups within a particular biotype was a quantitative indicator — frequency of meetings or numerical dominance in species ratios expressed as %% of the total amount counted within a particular ecological trough. This study considered additional factors linked to the biology of the birds, such as grouping during the nesting period, spending the night, foraging and other moments of life, for all species strictly adapted to the local environmental conditions of their particular habitat.

In the surveyed desolate Kyzyl Kum landscape, which acted as an arena for all ornitho complex life, seven unequal biotypes were distinguished. We have presented all information obtained (Russian and Latin names of bird species, dates and destinations of their meetings, especially distribution, habitats, references, and the nature of the stay of the birds) in a sufficiently compressed form in Table 1 .

Table 1. List of bird species: the meeting points (mainly in the northern half of the Kyzyl Kum), degree rate of occurrence in the main habitats of the desert and nature of their stay (1970–1990).

No.	Bird species	Meeting points, date and number	Key biotypes							Nature of stay
			I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
1	Grey heron — Ardea cinerea	Zhasankatyn 20. V. 1970, 2 units							+	ST
2	Great white heron — Egretta alba	Tomarastau 10. VI. 1973, 3 units							+	ST
3	Bittern — Botaurus stellaris	In V 1988г, the sole unit was observed at Chirikrabat well							+	M
4	Shelduck — Tadorna ferruginea	Yegizkok V–VI 1975–1980 2–3 braces at a time							++	MB
5	Shelduck — Tadorna tadorna	In multiple lakes, 2–3 units at a time							+ +	MB
6	Mallard duck — Anas platyrhynchos	In multiple lakes, 2–3 units at a time							+	M
7	Eurasian teal — Anas crecca	In multiple lakes 1986, flock of 10–30 units comes during the fall migration periods							+	M
8	Gadwall — Anas strepera	Bais, Yegizkok V. 1986, a flock of 3–5 units							+	M
9	European pochard — Aythya ferina	Bukan, Syrtymbet 1984 during the whole summer, stays for a long time							+	M
10	Marbled duck — Anas angustirostris	Yegizkok, Chirikrabat VI. 1986, 2 units, rare species							+	M
11	Garganey — Anas querquedula	Donkagan, Uchagatch VI. 1987, 3 units, Khodzhahmet 2 units in Х							+	M
12	Common shoveler — Anas clypeata	Donkagan, Uchagatch V. 1985, 2 units							+	M
13	Pariah kite — Milvus migrans	Donkagan, Uchagatch IV. 1974, 1 unit sailing			+					ST
14	Pallas' seal eagle — Haliaeetus leucoryphus	Murzali IV. 1973г, 1 парящая в воздухе особь			+					ST
15	Accipiter badius	Prevalent		+	++	+	+	+		M
16	Long-legged buzzard — Buteo rufinus	Prevalent		++	++	+	+			MB
17	War eagle — Aquila chrysaetos	Donkazgan IV. 1989, 1 sailing unit			+					MB
18	Imperial eagle — Aquila heliaca⁎	Observed frequently		+	++		+			MB
19	Steppe eagle — Aquila rapax	Observed frequently in the air	+	+	++	+	+			П
20	Vulture — Neophron percnopterus⁎	IV–V						+	+	ST
21	Griffon vulture — Gyps fulvus⁎	Arrive IV–V from the mountains surrounding the desert						+	+	ST
22	Serpent eagle — Circaetus gallicus	Rare bird, nests along the Zhanadarya valley		+	++					MB
23	Pallid harrier — Circus macrourus	Chirikrabat, Kekreli 3. VI. 1983 is observed frequently			+				+	M
24	Marsh harrier — Circus aeruginosus	Observed frequently in all of the territory							++	M
25	Common kestrel — Falco tinnunculus	Observed frequently in all of the territory	+	+	+	+	++	++	+	M
26	Lesser kestrel — Falco naumanni	Prevalent					+	+	+	M
27	Quail — Coturnix coturnix	Prevalent		++	++	+			+	M
28	Pheasant — Phasianus colchicus	Along Zhandarya, Chirikrabat, Irkebai since 1963 when the Syrdarya water was launched							++	S
29	Crane — Grus grus	Balzhan, Kamysty 25. VI. 1973, IV during the migration period stop for rest	+	+					+	BS
30	Jack — Otis undulata	Prevalent	+	++			+			MB
31	Coot — Fulica atra	Zhasankatyn, Bukan V, VI, IX. 1973 big flocks on these lakes							++	MB
32	Moorhen — Gallinula chloropus	Suieyubai, Chirikrabat V. 1986, 1987 2–3 units							+	M
33	Swain — Rallus aquaticus	Bestam V. 1987, 1 особь							+	M
34	Porzana parva	Chirikrabat, Zhyndybulak V. 1987, 2 units							+	M
35	Stone curlew — Burhinus oedicnemus	Prevalent	+	++		++				MB
36	Collared pratincole — Glareola pratincola	Saktagan V. 1988, big flock (25–30 units) flewied from east to west		+	+					M
37	Little ringed plover — Charadrius dubius	Prevalent around artesian wells from 15 to 30 units							++	MB
38	Kentish plover — Charadrius alexandrinus	Prevalent at the banks of the water spates							++	MB
39	Thick plover — Charadrius leschenaultii	Prevalent in the whole desert	++	++
40	Caspian plover — Charadrius asiaticus	Prevalent	++	++						MB
41	Lapwing — Vanellus vanellus	Akbuget, Aldabai 2 and 14. Х. 1987 were observed, 2–3 units							+	BS
42	White-tailed lapwing — Vanellochettusia leucura	Present in all of the artesian spates, stays for the whole summer							++	MB
43	Turnstone — Arenaria interpres	Present in all of the lakes but does not stays for the whole summer							++	BS
44	Curlew — Calidris ferruginea	Present on all of the water spates							++	M
45	Stint — Calidris minuta	Flocks are present in almost all of the lakes until October							++	BS
46	Sandpiper — Calidris mauri	At Donkazgan and Khatsha lakes, 1 units on 3 Dec. IX 1987							+	M
47	Ruff — Philomachus pugnax	Uchagatch (rare), 1 unit, V 1989.							+	BS
48	Sandpiper — Tringa ochropus	Donkazgan, there are many on every lake 1985–1990.							++	BS
49	Fifi — Tringa glareola	Uchagatch, Yegizkok V–VI. 1987, 1988.							+	BS
50	Greenshank — Tringa nebularia	Donkazgan IV. 1987, 1 unit passed by							+	BS
51	Tringa totanus	Yegizkok, Kamysty, Uchagatch IV–V 1987–1990.							+	BS
52	Tringa stagnatilis	Uchagatch V. 1987–1988, many							++	M
53	Tringa hypoleucos	Donkazgan, Kamysty IV. 1987, 1 units							+	BS
54	Tringa cinerea	Donkazgan IV. 1987, 2 units, Uchagatch V 3 units							+	BS
55	Godwit — Limosa limosa	Donkazgan IV. 1987, 2 units							+	BS
56	Curlew — Numinous arquata	Donkazgan IV. 1987, 2 units							+	BS
57	Red-necked phalarope — Phalaropus lobatus	Donkazgan IV. 1987–1990, flock of 10–30 units stays till until late fall							++	MB
58	Stilt — Himantopus himantopus	Donkazgan, Beltam, Uchagatch 1987–1990. 4–18 units stays for the whole summer							++	MB
59	Snipe — Gallinago gallinago	Kamysty, Khatsha IV–X. 1986, 1987, 2–3 units							+	M
60	Oystercatcher — Haematopus ostralegus	Uchagatch V–VI, 1987г. sporadic appearances							+	M
61	Black-bellied sandgrouse — Pterocles orientalis	Prevalent, the majority leaves for winter, only the one-third part of them stays	++	++	+	+	+		+	MB
62	Tailed sandgrouse — Pterocles alchata	Prevalent, minor group stays for winter	++	++	+	+	+		+	MB
63	Saja — Syrrhaptes paradoxus	Prevalent, almost never stays for winter	++	++	+	+	+		+	MB
64	Dove — Columba libia	Prevalent, flock from 2 units to 100						++		S
65	Common turtledove — Streptopelia turtur	Along Zhanadarye, Chabankazgan 1970–1972.			++			++		S
66	Small dove — Streptopelia senegalensis	Along Zhanadarye: Irkebai, Bais, Donkazgan etc., nests in the saxaul crown			+			+		S
67	Cuckoo — Cuculus canorus	Prevalent V–VI		+	+			+		ПГ
68	Eagle owl — Bubo bubo	Prevalent					++	+		S
69	Little owl — Athene noctua	Prevalent					+	++		S
70	Common nighthawk — Caprimulgus europaeus	Prevalent		++	+	+	+			MB
71	Dun nightjar — Caprimulgus aegyptius	Burn 21. IV. 1986						++		MB
72	Common swift — Apus apus	Murzaly, Bukan V. 1986, appears by spots					+	+		MB
73	Roller — Coracias garrulus	Prevalent in cliff places of dry riverbed of Zhanadarya			++					MB
74	Kingfisher — Alcedo atthis	В V. 1988. Chirikrabat 1 unit for the entire observation period							+	M
75	Green bee-eater — Merops superciliosus	Prevalent по Zhanadarye: Kamysty, Akchukur, Ongar			++					MB
76	Hoopoe — Upupa epops	Prevalent			+		+	++	+	MB
77	Winged figure — Dendrocopos albipennis	Along Zhanadarye Chirikrabart, culled VI. 1982			+					S
78	Black bird — Melanocorypha yeltoniensis	Kamysty IV, 1987. 1 unit				+				BS
79	Crested lark — Galerida cristata	Prevalent in small flocks		+	++	+	+	+	+	S
80	Grey bird — Calandrella rufescens	Prevalent	+	++	+	+	+	+	+	S
81	Short-toed lark — Calandrella cinerea	Prevalent	++	++	+	++	+	+	+	MB
82	Barn swallow — Hirundo rustica	Prevalent						++		MB
83	Yellow wagtail — Motacilla flava	Prevalent, arrives in IV–V and IX–X							++	MB
84	Motacilla lutea	Prevalent, arrive in IV and IX–X, in some places dwell for during the whole summer							++	BS
85	Citrine wagtail — Motacilla citreola	Prevalent, stay for summer							++	BS
86	White wagtail — Motacilla alba	Prevalent, arrive in IV and IX–X	+	+	+	+	+	+	++	BS
87	Grey shrike — Lanius excubitor	Prevalent, stays from III till VIII–IX		++	++	+				MB
88	Long-tailed shrike — Lanius schach	Karabaskoprik V. 1987 1 unit, was observed only one time			+					BS
89	Shrike — Lanius phoenicuroides	Donkazgan, Gazly, Chirikrabat IV. 1988, 1 unit			+					MB
90	Hypocolius ampelinus	Donkazgan, Gazly, Chirikrabat IV. 1988, 1 unit			+					BS
91	Waxwing — Bombycilla garrulus	Kekreli V. 1989г., 1 unit			+					BS
92	Mistle thrush — Turdus viscivorus	From X/1986 till IV/1987 one bird was observed in the town park of Nukus (western Kyzylkum)						+		BS
93	Blackbird — Turdus merula	Kekreli IV. 1989, the only meeting point						+		BS
94	Wheatear — Oenanthe оenanthe	Prevalent, arrives from the third ten-day period III and stays till VIII–IX		+	+	++	+			MB
95	Desert wheatear — Oenanthe deserti	Prevalent, stays till late fall	+	+	+	++	+			MB
96	Pied wheatear — Oenanthe pleschanka	Prevalent, stays till Х		+		++				MB
97	Black-necked heater — Oenanthe finschii	Prevalent, leaves in the beginning of IX		+		++				MB
98	Oenanthe isabellina	Prevalent, leaves in VIII–IX	+	++	+	++	+			MB
99	Black gavel — Saxicola caprata	Kaumbet, Gazly V. 1987., 2 units		+						BS
100	Common redstart — Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Kamysty, Kekreli IV. 1989, 2 units		+						BS
101	Bluethroat — Luscinia svecica	Donkazgan Х. 1987, 1 unit							+	BS
102	European robin — Erithacus rubecula	Kekreli V. 1987, 1 unit						+		BS
103	Cercotrichas galactotes	Prevalent along the valley of dry riverbed of Zhanadarya from IV till VIII		+	++					MB
104	Panurus biarmicus	Zhyndybulak 01. 1988, 6 units							++	S
105	Aegithalos caudatus	Kamysty, Sazdy Х. 1988–1989, 5–7 units Nomadic bird				+				M
106	Cettia cetti	Prevalent			+				+	M
107	Moustached warbler — Luscinia melanopogon	Kamysty, Chabankazgan, Irkebai V. 1989, 2–3 units							+	MB
108	Nightingale cricket — Locustella luscinioides	Prevalent			+				+	MB
109	Acrocephalus arundinaceus	Prevalent							++	MB
110	Reed warbler — Acrocephalus seirpaceus	Prevalent							++	MB
111	Indian warbler — Acrocephalus agricola	Prevalent							+	M
112	Hippolais languida	Sazdy, Chirikrabat IV–VI. 1988, 5 units			+				+	M
113	Hippolais caligata	Khodzhahmet IX–X. 1989, 3 units			+					M
114	Hippolais pallida	Kamysty, Bais, Irkebai VI. 1990			+					M
115	Sylvia curruca	Kamysty, Bais, Irkebai VI. 1990			+					M
116	Desert warbler — Sylvia nana	Prevalent, leaves upon the termination of reproduction		+	+	++	++			MB
117	Sylvia mustacea	Prevalent		+	++	+	+			M
118	Turdus philomelos	Prevalent in the shrubbery			+				+	MB
119	Remiz coronatus	Area of the cemetery Khorsan North eastern Kyzylkum IX.1972, valley of Syrdarya			+					M
120	Emberiza bruniceps	The bird is omnipresent		+	++	+	+		+	MB
121	Emberiza schoeniclus	Prevalent around the artesian wells in the shrubbery		+	++				++	BS
122	Buckskin reel — Rhodospiza obsoleta	Prevalent along Zhanadarya valley			++	+	+		++	S
123	Bullfinch — Bucanetes githagineus	Kekreli Х. 1987, minor flocks appear only in fall period							+	BS
124	Carpodacus erythrinus	Kekreli V. 1987 and 1989, 4–5 units, fed with elm fruit							+	BS
125	Loxia curvirostra	Kekreli Х. 1988, 1 unit (dead body — probably the bird stroke)						+		BS
126	Reel — Rhodospiza obsoleta	Kekreli, Khodzhahmet Х. 1987, flock of 5 to 7 birds							+	BS
127	House sparrow — Passer domesticus	Prevalent in little colonies						+	++	S
128	Passer hispaniolensis	Prevalent in little flocks nesting in the tall shrubs							++	MB
129	Pander sparrow — Passer ammodendry	Prevalent, flocks of 3–5 units			++	+				M
130	Sparrow — Passer montanus	Significant colonies around the lakes (Kamysty, Yegizkok, Murzali) V–VI. 1987–1988 numerous nesting							++	MB
131	Desert sparrow — Passer simlex	Aktam, Koskuduk, Manas, Borly V. 1987, nesting by family couples				+				S
132	Common starling — Sturnus vulgaris	Prevalent along Zhanadarye, fly away in Х by numerous flocks			+			++		MB
133	Pastor — Pastor roseus	Suieubai, Chirikrabat in the beginning of V. 1987 and 1989, only 12 units passed by							+	BS
134	Myna — Acridotheres tristis	Shukurhak, Chabankazgan, Kekreli and others, there were many						++		S
135	Desert raven — Corvus ruficollis	Prevalent, the key condition for that are the tall shrubs for nesting			++	+	+		+	S
136	Crow (black, grey) — Corvus corone	Prevalent, the big influx in fall since October	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	M
137	Rook — Corvus frugilegus	Prevalent		+	+	+	+	+	+	BS
138	Jackdaw — Corvus monedula	Prevalent			++		+	+	+	M
139	Podoces panderi	Prevalent				++				S
140	Magpie — Pica pica	Prevalent			++			++		S
	Number of species		16	37	56	32	30	30	83

Biotypes: I — Takyrs naked or with spaced sagebrush Anabasis association;

II — Takyr plain with absinthial gramineous herbs, Alhagi thickets and strong saxaul bushes (khaki);

III — Valleys of the dry riverbeds, occupied with tamarisk saxaul groves;

IV — Sands with ephemeral Incana shrub grouping;

V — Clayey stony hummocks, steepers, rocky outcrops and their depressions with sparse shrubs;

VI — Anthropogenic structures (houses, ruins, wells with walls furred by saxaul, cemeteries, etc.);

VII — Spates of the artesian wells with reed grass and bush banks.

Notes: ST — Arrives for short term; BS — Migrating with brief stops;

MB — Migratory breeding; S — Sedentary species; M — Migrating but stay for the whole warm period, nesting not identified;

+ — The species is rare and does not stay long; ++ — The species is frequently present and stays for long period.

⁎. Arriving from the neighbouring mountains, these birds (sometimes up to 20–30 individuals) concentrate around livestock farms in places where that have dead lambs, where they that are taken after removing theiral of skins (IV–V).

Table 1 clearly shows that among the seven types of landscape, the most environmentally intensive are: freshets of the artesian lakes and their banks with grass–shrub vegetation complexes, where 83 bird species were found and the valley of dry riverbeds occupied by tamarisk saxaul groves, where 56 bird species were found. The smallest species range (16) was in landscapes with different variations of takyr spaces with poor vegetation. Only particular vermins fly to this area for a broad overview of their victims. Additionally, there are grouse flocks that gather there, especially after rainfall, and species of cursorials that are able to arrange a clutch of eggs directly on an open place without nesting. In the other landscape varieties, 30 to 37 species of birds were observed that were well-adapted to the elements of the local environment.

It should be noted that some of the species listed in Table 1 , such as vermins (Levant sparrowhawk, steppe eagle, and kestrel) and others (stone curlew, sandgrouse, larks, wagtails, heaters, ravens, and rooks), were found in a variety of landscapes due to their eurytopic lifestyle, although the extent of their occurrence is much higher in their preferred habitats.

The quantitative material obtained in the seasonal recordings is described in Table 2 , which shows the abundance of 40 typical desert species of birds that inhabit the four different biotypes of the Kyzyl Kum macro landscape. Overall, the area is dominated by groups of larks, grouses, warblers and heaters in the four ornithocenosis studied. However, closer analysis of the extent of their distribution revealed the following trend: larks are more attracted to ephemeral incana sites; sandgrouses tend to prefer sagebrush cereal associations on the takyr plain; warblers prefer bushes; and wheaters are most attracted to the sandy tracts of the uniformly dense settlement (colony) of sanderlings. These are the ecological characteristics and spatial distribution features of the individual groups studied within this single macro landscape, although it appears that these groups live side by side.

Table 2. Relative abundance (in %%) of the most common birds for in Kyzyl Kum, in descending order of totals, in their background biotypes (IV–VI, IX–X 1987–1990).

No.	Biotypes (landscape variety)	I	II	III	IV	Total
	Birds					Of birds	% of species
	Route in km	75	120	100	120		On 415 km
	Birds counted (number)	587	876	1025	1271	3759
1	Larks (grey, small) — C. rufescens , C. cinerea	29.0	31.0	20.0	35.4	1095	29.1
2	Black-bellied sandgrouse — P. orientalis	18.8	20.5	9.2	13.0	554	14.7
3	Tailed sandgrouse — P. alchata	18.2	19.4	9.3	12.0	527	14.0
4	Saja — Saccharomyces paradoxus	17.0	12.0	6.1	8.2	372	10.0
5	Desert warbler — S. nana	–	1.7	7.3	6.8	175	4.7
6	Grey shrike — L. excubitor	–	1.7	3.2	3.4	91	2.4
7	O. isabellina	2.0	1.4	2.0	3.8	92	2.4
8	Crested lark — G. cristata	0.5	1.9	4.1	1.8	81	2.1
9	Buzzard — B. rufinus	–	2.9	3.1	1.5	74	2.0
10	Buckskin reel — R. obsoleta	–	–	6.8	–	70	1.9
11	White wagtail — M. alba	3.4	0.9	2.2	1.6	71	1.9
12	Sparrow — P. montanus	–	0.9	4.4	1.2	68	1.9
13	Desert wheatear — O. deserti	1.7	0.5	1.5	3.0	67	1.8
14	E. bruniceps	–	1.0	2.5	1.0	48	1.4
15	Tugai nightingale — C. galactotes	–	0.9	3.6	–	45	1.2
16	Stone curlew — Burhinus aedicnemus	2.4	0.7	–	0.4	25	0.7
17	House sparrow — P. domesticus	–	–	–	2.0	25	0.7
18	S. curruca	–	–	2.0	–	21	0.5
19	S. mystacea	–	–	1.9	–	20	0.5
20	Thick plover — C. leschenaultii	3.2	–	–	–	18	0.5
21	Caspian plover — C. asiaticus	3.0	–	–	–	17	0.4
22	Roller — C. garrulus	–	–	1.6	–	17	0.4
23	Green bee-eater — M. superciliosus	–	–	1.6	–	16	0.4
24	H. languida	–	–	1.5	–	15	0.4
25	O. finschii	–	–	–	1.1	14	0.4
26	Quail — C. coturnix	–	0.2	0.3	0.4	14	0.4
27	Cuckoo — C. canorus	–	0.3	0.8	0.2	13	0.3
28	Kestrel — F. tinnunculus	–	–	1.2	–	12	0.3
29	Wheatear — O. oenanthe	–	0.2	–	0.8	12	0.3
30	Desert raven — C. ruficollis	–	0.5	0.5	0.2	11	0.3
31	Houbara bustard — O. undulata	0.8	0.7	–	–	11	0.3
32	Ground jay — P. panderi	–	–	–	0.8	10	0.2
33	Shrike — L. phoenicuroides	–	–	0.9	–	9	0.2
34	Owlet — A. noctua	–	0.3	0.2	0.4	10	0.3
35	Common nighthawk — C. europaeus	–	0.2	0.3	0.3	9	0.2
36	Pied wheatear — O. pleschanka	–	0.2	–	0.5	9	0.2
37	Magpie — P. pica	–	–	0.8	–	8	0.2
38	Common turtledove — S. turtur	–	–	0.3	0.2	6	0.2
39	U. epops	–	–	0.5	–	5	0.1
40	Serpent eagle — C. gallicus	–	–	0.3	–	3	0.1

Note: landscape names and generic species names are given in the Table 1 .

Given the lack of knowledge of the lifestyles of the multiple and species abundant groups of waterbirds in the Kyzyl Kum landscape, in 1987, 4-fold (IV–V and IX–X) surveys were performed on three selected water spates of artesian lakes (Table 3 ). Each observational tour was intended to identify the range of bird species in the given lake community, the number of members of each group, and the date of absence (departure) of each species.

Table 3. Seasonal aspect of occurrence (%) of some wetland waders on the spates of three artesian wells in Northern Kyzylkum (single data counts for 10–20 min in for each round of observation, 1987).

No.	Points, approximate area of the bodies of water and dates survey	Donkazgan (3.5 ha)				Kamysty (3.0 ha)				Uchagach (1.5 ha)				Total of birds
	Birds	12. IV	18. V	12. IX	5. X	19. IV	15. V	10. IX	3. X	20. IV	20. V	15. IX	10. X	Abs	%
	Birds counted in total	165	164	21	17	132	142	20	5	177	234	20	12	1109
1	Red-necked phalarope — P. lobatus	16.3	15.3	71.2	70.5	8.4	10.5	65.0	100	11.8	11.9	75.0	75.0	196	17.8
2	Sandpiper — T. ochropus	18.1	12.8	–	–	18.9	16.0	–	–	16.5	15.8	–	–	169	15.2
3	Little ringed plover — C. dubius	16.9	18.9	10.0	–	11.3	11.9	5.0	–	14.5	11.9	20.0	–	149	13.5
4	Stint — C. minuta	15.1	4.4	–	–	17.5	9.0	5.0	–	15.8	13.7	–	–	128	11.5
5	Kentish plover — C. alexandrinus	6.6	9.2	–	–	5.3	9.2	25.0	–	10.0	9.0	–	–	90	8.2
6	Wood sandpiper — T. glareola	8.4	10.3	–	–	5.3	6.3	–	–	6.2	6.5	–	–	73	6.6
7	White tailed lapwing — V. leucura	2.4	7.3	–	–	6.0	7.0	–	–	9.0	8.5	–	–	70	6.3
8	Stilt — H. himantopus	6.0	7.3	–	–	4.5	5.6	–	–	2.2	7.7	–	–	58	5.2
9	Snipe — G. gallinago	1.2	3.0	9.4	14.0	2.2	2.1	–	–	1.7	1.7	5.0	25.0	29	2.6
10	Redshank — T. totanus	1.8	3.0	–	–	3.8	4.9	–	–	2.2	1.5	–	–	27	2.4
11	Ruff — P. pugnax	–	3.0	9.4	–	2.3	2.1	–	–	–	6.4	–	–	26	2.3
12	Curlew — C. ferruginea	1.8	1.2	–	–	2.3	3.5	–	–	2.8	1.7	–	–	22	2.0
13	Greenshank — T. nebularia	1.2	1.8	–	–	2.2	2.8	–	–	2.8	0.8	–	–	19	1.7
14	Marsh sandpiper — T. stagnatilis	1.2	–	–	–	2.3	3.5	–	–	1.7	1.3	–	–	16	1.4
15	Fiddler — T. hypoleucos	–	–	–	–	3.8	–	–	–	1.1	0.8	–	–	9	0.8
16	Terek — T. cinerea	0.6	2.5	–	–	1.7	0.7	–	–	–	0.4	–	–	9	0.8
17	Godwit — L. limosa	1.8	–	–	–	1.5	–	–	–	1.7	–	–	–	8	0.7
18	Sandpiper — C. mauri	–	–	–	15.5	–	3.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	0.5
19	Turnstone — A. interpres	–	–	–	–	–	1.4	–	–	–	0.4	–	–	3	0.3
20	Curlew — N. arquata	0.6	–	–	–	0.7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	0.2

Note: the generic names of birds are given in Table 1 .

Among the 20 species of this particular group, only eight dominated in terms of occurrence (5 to 17.8% of observed species) (Table 3 ). All bird species fly away from reservoirs of Kyzyl Kum in the beginning of September except the red-necked phalarope and the snipe. A small number of little ring and Kentish plovers and, occasionally, little stint were observed through the beginning of October.

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