Species fact sheet by Global Register of Migratory Species - www.groms.de

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NE populations are long distance migrants S to winter Oct-Apr mainly in SE Asia, Indonesia and Australia; birds return N to breed in E Asia from May to about Aug. most of Indian breeding population resident, locally nomadic, or short distance migrants. Rare but annual, Oct to late Mar, in New Guinea; birds overfly to N Australia Dec-Feb, when absent to N, therefore large portion of migratory population may be in Australia at this time. Late arrivals in Australia: from Nov in Darwin area after local wet season starts; nomadic in Australian summer, following insect populations; departs from Darwin and NW Australia by first week in Apr. Common on migration in C & NE China, especially during S migration, Jul-Sept; passage Hong Kong Sept-Oct and again Mar-May. Up to 1500 birds recorded together, Malay peninsula, on migration; arrives Thailand in Feb, most birds departing Aug-Sept, with few overwintering perhaps irregularly. Generally uncommon migrant to Japan, mostly in Aug-Sept, with maximum of 306 birds in 1984; now also breeds locally in W Japan. Uncommon visitor to W Micronesia. Vagrant to New Zealand, Seychelles and Mauritius, Arabian Peninsula, England, Cyprus and Attu I (Aleutians)   (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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