Population: In the Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve, the number is about 50-70 pairs, in the Sairam and Ugam ranges – 1-7 pairs. It is quite common in the Ileysky Alatau: up to 6 pairs nest in the Kaskelen Gorge, 5-6 pairs in the Almatinskaya Valley, and 22-24 pairs in the Almaty Nature Reserve. Several pairs nest in the city of Almaty.
Status. Category V – restored, requiring constant monitoring. A restored but very mosaic-like stenobiont species in demand among birders.
Habitat. In Kazakhstan, it is distributed in a narrow intermittent band along the ridges of the Tien Shan from Talassky, Ugamsky and Karzhantau in the west to Ileisky and Kungei Alatau in the east. In winter, it migrates to the south and is found within Kazakhstan rather as an exception, although in recent years it has become increasingly common in winter within the city of Almaty.
