Blue-capped Redstart

Phoenicurus caeruleocephala (Vigors, 1831)

2018-10-01 Tashkent area, valley of Pskem River, Lake Urungoch	© Maksim Mitropolskiy

Description

The Blue-capped Redstart is one only redstart in Kazakhstan having not reddish but black tail. The adult male has the black back, tail, head and breast; the abdomen and speculum on the wing are white, the crown is grayish-blue. After summer (in August) molting males have coloring with a greysh-brownish tinge, there isn't the contrast on coloring of the back and the crown. The female is greysh-brown; the tail is dark-brown. The uppertail is chestnut-rufous. Juveniles have the dark, grayish-brown with the light spots color, the dark-grey tail and the reddish-rufous uppertail.

References

А.Ф.Ковшарь "Певчие птицы". Алма-Ата, "Кайнар", 1983.