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Nominate race makes extensive movements, much of N population apparently crossing Sahara for winter, when range extends to Sahel, Sudan and N Kenya; 30 birds of race cursor found in Jan-Feb 1987 along 165 km stretch of E shore of L Turkana, N Kenya; scare in N Sahara at this season; main northward movement in Sahara in Mar-Apr, sometimes into Jun, movement of c.1000 birds over front of a few kilometres reported in Mar in Tunisia. Winters in W Negev Desert, Israel, Dec and Jan; immigration into Saudi Arabia in winter, probably from Middle East, when numbers increase and birds spread into deserts of Nafud and Empty Quarter. Breeding birds arrive Jordan early Mar and depart late Jun; then late autumn arrival of small numbers of migrants. Race littoralis present in Kenya Sept-May. Race bogolubovi mainly winter visitor to Pakistan and NW India, occurs Aug-Apr from Baluchistan, Sind and Punjab to Rajasthan and Gujarat, in loose flocks of 6-10 birds, occasionally up to 30 or more. May occur in small flocks in most seasons; up to 45 birds together in Egypt, Aug-Sept. Has occurred widely in Europe as a vagrant, chiefly in autumn, including 10 birds seen together in Netherlands, Sept 1969.   (del Hoyo J, Elliott A, Sargatal J (eds), 1996)

• digitised by GROMS, after del Hoyo J A Elliott; J Sargatal (eds) (1996) - www.hbw.com,
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