From Opus

Revision as of 10:17, 19 June 2012

Photo by mehmetunlu
Yahyali, Kayseri, Turkey, June 2010

Tetraogallus caspius

Identification

Photo by yasamin
Yasamin, Yousefi, Iran, June 2012

Tetraogallus caspius

56-63 cm

• Black, white, grey, and brown plumage
• Grey breast
• White throat
• White neck patch
• Dark grey nape

Distribution

Middle East and Asia
Middle East: Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
Asia: Russia, and Turkmenistan

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

There are 2 subspecies:

• T. c. caspius:

• Mountains of eastern Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Alborz Mountain, North khorassan Mountains, Kopet dagh, Fyruza Mountain, Sahand and Sabalan Mountain in Iran.

• T. c. semenowtianschanskii:

• Zagros Mountains (south-western Iran)

An additional subspecies tauricus is generally considered invalid^[2].

Habitat

Stony ground, alpine scrub 1800-3000m.

Behaviour

Breeding

Caspian snowcock breeds at altitudes from 1800-3000 m on bare stony ground with some alpine scrub. It nests in a bare ground scrape and lays 6-9 greenish eggs, which are incubated only by the female.

Diet

The diet includes seeds and vegetables.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia

• List of references

External Links