Say hello to the White-winged Redstart, an impressive creature characterized by its elongated body, upright stance, and striking midnight black color adorned with bright white cap wing patches.
The White-winged redstart, also known as Güldenstädt’s redstart, is a sizeable species of redstart that measures 18cm in length and weighs between 21-29 grams. Its striking features include black upper parts with a noticeable white crown, complemented by white wing patches and an orange-red tail. The adult male has a black throat and upper breast area, with rich orange-red underparts.
The upper part of the female bird is brown while its lower part is orange-buff, and it has an orange-colored tail. The young birds have a resemblance to the female adult bird.
These winged creatures are commonly spotted in the elevated peaks of the southwestern and central Palearctic, particularly in the regions of Caucasus, Karakoram, Pamir, Himalaya, Tian Shan, and Altai. They can be found in various countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China, Georgia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The White-winged Redstart has a preference for dwelling in and around regions that are rich in alpine meadows and rock fields.
These creatures sustain themselves by consuming both fruit and a diverse range of invertebrates.
The White-winged Redstart is known to breed during the months of June and July. During this time, they construct a strong, bulky nest made of grass and wool in the shape of a cup. The nest is usually located deep inside a crevice or cliff, sometimes even under rocks close to a permanent snowline. They lay around 3 to 5 eggs at a time, which take around 12 to 16 days to incubate. Once hatched, the nestlings typically stay for about 14 days before leaving the nest.
According to the IUCN Red List, this particular bird is considered to be at a lower risk of endangerment and is categorized as Least Concern.
The bird in the following video can be observed and heard: