White-capped Water Redstart

Description:

The white-capped redstart or white-capped water redstart (Phoenicurus leucocephalus) is a passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae.Both genders are black with red underparts and white crown atop their heads. Males have larger white pattern on top of the head and brown red spots under the wings. The species ranges across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam.

Habitat:

The White-capped Water-redstart breeds along rocky rivers and streams, and waterfalls. It frequents the boulders in rushing water and the wet cliffs covered in moss, and can be seen from foothills up to the highest elevations between 1800 and 5000 metres, but usually between 2400 and 4200 metres. It performs altitudinal movements and usually winters from lowlands to foothills, along rivers or canals, and this species is a short-distance migrant (http://www.oiseaux-birds.com)

Notes:

This species was formerly placed in the monotypic genus Chaimarrornis but was moved to Phoenicurus based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010.