NEW SPECIES OF CUCKOOS IN SOUTHERN CISBAIKALIA // Nature of Inner Asia. - 2019. №3(12). . - С. 33-36.

NEW SPECIES OF CUCKOOS IN SOUTHERN CISBAIKALIA

DOI: 10.18101/2542-0623-2019-3-33-36 UDK: 598.274.1:591.5(571.5)

Long-term studies of the bird fauna in Cisbaikalia (1964–2019) have revealed the appearance of new very rare species of Cuculinae — lesser and Indian cuckoos. Their migration from the native southern areas undoubtedly was conditioned by the current climate dynamics. As known [Melnikov, 2016; 2017; 2018], in the second half of the 20th century, it was observed mass migration of many species of semiaquatic birds and Anseriformes from Central Asia to the north. It was associated with the severe draining of wetland ecosystems resulted from catastrophic and extensive droughts, often covering almost all China and Mongolia. At the beginning of the 21st century, there have been a tendency to expansion of the area of many species of mammals and mass species of steppe plants to the north. At the same time, it is observed visitation of typical steppe, forest and mountain bird species to Baikal region. The appearance of lesser and Indian cuckoos here is precisely connected with this trend. The lesser cuckoo was first founded in 2001–2002 in the Selenga river delta and has not been noted here since then. However, in May — June 2019, both lesser and Indian cuckoos were found on the Olkha plateau, in the basin of small river Kaimurastny, a tributary of the river Pravaya Olkha, this reflects a continued development of droughts in Central Asia and a general tendency to migration of the birds of steppe, forest and mountain ecosystems to the north.

Southern Cisbaikalia; lesser and Indian cuckoos; climate warming; eviction to the north.