Güldenstädt's Redstart
Phoenicurus erythrogastrus
红腹红尾鸲
Introduction
A passerine bird in the genus Phoenicurus, family Muscicapidae. Inhabits high mountain regions of the southwestern and central Palearctic, including the Caucasus, Karakoram, Pamir, Himalaya, Tian Shan, and Altai ranges across 17 countries. One of the largest redstart species at 18 cm length and 21-29 g weight. Breeds exclusively at high elevations of 3,600-5,200 m in alpine meadows and rocky terrain, moving to lower subalpine elevations in winter. Migratory behavior observed in northernmost populations around Lake Baikal, which travel to northeastern China. Diet consists of fruit and invertebrates.
Description
A large, robust redstart measuring 18 cm in length and weighing 21-29 g. Adult males have black upperparts with a distinctive white crown and white wing patch; the tail is orange-red. Underparts feature black throat and upper breast contrasting with rich orange-red lower breast and belly. Females and immature males are brown above with orange-buff underparts and retain the characteristic orange-red tail. The species shows marked sexual dimorphism outside the breeding season when males resemble females.
Identification
Males are unmistakable with their black plumage, white crown, and white wing patch. The combination of black upperparts with white crown differentiates it from all other redstarts. Females resemble larger versions of the common redstart but with more orange-buff underparts. Similar to the white-capped redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus) in male plumage pattern but lacks that species' entirely white head and possesses a distinctive white wing patch. Males also share the white wing patch with the much smaller Moussier's redstart.
Distribution & Habitat
Range extends through the Caucasus, Karakoram, Pamir, Himalaya, Tian Shan, and Altai mountains across Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China, Georgia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Breeds at 3,600-5,200 m elevation in alpine meadows and rock fields. Wintering occurs at 1,500-4,800 m in subalpine Hippophae scrub. Northern populations around Lake Baikal are migratory, moving to northeastern China for winter.
Behavior & Ecology
Feeds on fruit and a wide variety of invertebrates. Breeds at high altitudes during summer months in alpine meadow and rocky habitats. Two recognized subspecies: P. e. erythrogastrus in the Caucasus and P. e. grandis in Central Asian mountains. Social behavior and vocalizations are not described in available sources.
Culture
No cultural information provided in the source material.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Phoenicurus
- eBird Code
- whwred2
Subspecies (2)
-
Phoenicurus erythrogastrus erythrogastrus
Caucasus Mountains to southern Caspian region of Iran
-
Phoenicurus erythrogastrus grandis
central Asia to southeastern Tibet, southern China, Pakistan, and northern India
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.