Black-throated Loon
Status: Category III, Critically Endangered, CR: R. Close to extinction in the territory of Kyrgyzstan. The nominal subspecies is found. The bird is the size of a domestic duck.
General distribution and in the country. Distributed in large water bodies of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, and the northern part of European Russia. Beyond the Urals, the range descends southward, covering Western and Eastern Siberia. It inhabits northern Kazakhstan and the Pribalhash region. In Kyrgyzstan, the nominal subspecies is found at Issyk-Kul.
Habitat. At Issyk-Kul, it nested in the Tyup and Djergalan bays [2]. In winter, it can be found throughout the lake.
Population. The current population is unknown; it is likely not breeding at present, only occurring during wintering. Previously, 5-6 pairs bred [6].
Life cycle (lifestyle). Reaches sexual maturity at three years of age. Nests from mid-April. The clutch usually contains 2 eggs. The Loon feeds on fish and aquatic invertebrates [26].
Limiting factors. Habitat destruction in neighboring countries. Bird deaths in fishing nets.
Breeding (captivity). No data available.
Existing conservation measures. Protected in the Issyk-Kul Nature Reserve.
Recommended conservation measures. Determine the current population status. Prohibit net fishing in areas of high concentration.
Кёк ордёк
Black-throated Loon
Gavia arctica (Linnaeus, 1758) ssp. arctica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Status: III category, Critically Endangered, CR: R. Breeding species in Kyrgyzstan, critically endangered from the perspective of Kyrgyz ornithologists. Five or six pairs bred in Tyup and Djergalan Bays of Issyk-Kul Lake in the past. No evidence of breeding is reported nowadays. The limiting factor is the destruction of nesting habitats. Winters in large numbers, occurring throughout the lake. Feeds on fish and water invertebrates. Starts nesting in April, producing 2 eggs. It is recommended to limit net fishing in areas where the Loon’s concentrations are high.