Spotted Great Rosefinch

There are four probably breeding areas. Dzungarsky Alatau. In upper course of Aksu river (at 3100-3200 m) moulting male collected by M.N. Korelov 19 August 1956. At 10 May 1982 recorded near Topolevka, 1300 m, not far of high mountains and 14 May 1985 in Ile valley (Altynemel) two males observed. High mountains here exist 100 km to east, in Tyshkan, where obtained by N.A.Zarudnyy 24 July 1899. Zailiyskiy Alatau. Birds recorded mostly in winter, in late November. Only 3 spring-summer records: 5 May 1965 (2900 m), single, in first half of August 1973 (3000 m) one male and 23 March 1975 (3300 m), one singing male. As it lives side-by-side with C.puniceus it probably breeds here. Kirgyzskiy Alatau. In upper of Merke gorge recorded by F. Karpov 24 November 1985 and 2-3 June 2003 (2400 m) one male observed here. Talasskiy Alatau. In Aksu-Dzabagly reserve 8 birds obtained in autumn-winter. A.F.Kovshar said, that “red finch” was shot 30 June 1961, but not taken from cliff - it may have been C.rubicilla or C.puniceus. On dispersal and in winter observed in Zailiyskiy Alatau ridges up to Almaty, where in some years recorded in big numbers (in 1998/1999 near 80 birds), in Talasskiy (many records, most early 16 October 2003) and near Tashkent.