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Abundant breeding migrant. Inhabits the fresh and salty lakes, rivers deltas, Caspian Sea coasts. In spring appears in March – April, in small flocks of up to dozen birds. Breeds in small (on fresh water) or large (on salty lakes) colonies up to several hundred pairs, often with other gulls and terns. Nest is built on the dry reed heaps in water or on the ground in case of breeding on islands, nest is constructed from the dry reed stems, leaves and is lined with soft grass and feathers. Sometimes nests reach up to 30 cm in height, and 42-62 cm in base diameter. Clutches of 1-4 eggs is produced in April – May, or in June – July in case of first clutch loss. Both parents incubate for 25-30 days from the first egg laying and later care for juveniles, which begin to fly in the end of June – July. Autumn migration begins in August and continues until the freezing of waters. In small numbers winters on Caspian Sea and Syrdarya river to south from Chiili station.

References

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.