About this species
Range & migration
Steppe and semi-desert of central and northern Kazakhstan and the southern Russian steppe.
Scattered wintering sites in north-east Africa (Sudan, Eritrea), the Arabian Peninsula (Oman, Yemen), southern Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and north-west India.
Long-distance migrant. Breeds on Kazakh steppe, moves south-west through the Caucasus to winter grounds in Sudan, north-east Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and north-west India, with a major autumn staging area in south-east Turkey.
Population in the CAF
~16,000–17,000 mature individuals (revised after Turkey rediscovery)
Habitat
Open, short-grass steppe and semi-desert; breeds in association with livestock grazing. Winters on fallow fields, dry pastures and margins of wetlands.
Threats
Habitat loss from steppe conversion to arable land; nest loss to agricultural machinery; hunting on passage (particularly in the Middle East); predation; climate-driven changes in livestock grazing patterns.
Conservation actions
CMS Single Species Action Plan; work with Kazakh shepherds to protect nests; long-term satellite tracking study; hunting awareness campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Turkey; monitoring across the flyway by BirdLife partners and ACBK.
Key sites
- Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve, Kazakhstan (breeding)
- Irgiz-Turgay Reserve, Kazakhstan (breeding & staging)
- Ceylanpınar, Turkey (autumn staging)
- Tal Chhapar and Rann of Kutch, India (wintering)
