Breeding everywhere in Tien Shan, episodically in Karatau, Dzhungarskiy Alatau, Tarbagatay, Saur, Monrak, in Southwest Altai in west to Ust-Kamenogorsk, and also found in Delbegerey Mts. (southern extremity of Kalbinskiy Altai). Probably lives also in Kandygatay Mts. On migration occurs somewhat widely, in west to Urdzhar valley and Ile delta. Sometimes winters in foothills of breeding area.
Common resident making short-distance dispersing in winter. Inhabits the meadow-steppes and sub-alpine belts at altitudes to 1200-3000 m in mountains of southern Kazakhstan, and up to 1100 m in Altai, where prefers the stony slopes spotted by shrubs and grass vegetation. On migration occurs in the riparian forests, groves, shelterbelts, thickets of tall weeds and kitchen-gardens. In breeding sites appears in March - early April in small flocks of 5-15 birds, migration lasts a very short time. Pairs are formed at breeding site. Breeds in separate pairs at distance 15-100 m one from another. Nest is built for 3-5 days by female only (male escorts her) on the ground from the dry grass and is lined with thin stems, hair and rare with some moss pieces. Clutch of 4-5 eggs is laid in end of April to mid July. Probably rears two broods per year, but this presumption is not proven. Male sometimes helps female to incubate the clutch, incubating lasts 13-14 days, then both the parents feed nestlings. Autumn migration begins as soon as broods disperse in mountains in early August mainly in flocks of 10-12 birds. In foothills appears in mid-September. In small number wintering at foothills and on adjusted plains.
| Emberiza cia par (Hartert, 1904) Description. Has more pale mantle and narrower black streaks on mantle than nominal subspecies. |
"Птицы Казахстана" том 5. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1974. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005.
