The Indian Subcontinent provides suitable habitats to various species of birds for residing and nesting. Redstarts are no exception in this regard. Various species of redstarts have been recorded in different parts of India. These redstarts are described below.
Black Redstart
Some of the states in India where Black Redstart has been recorded are Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh. Male and female Black Redstarts differ in terms of physical features. The adult male is identified as a bird with dark grey or black upperparts and orange-red lower parts. More specifically, the bird has blackish head, breast and wings. The belly, undertail, lower rump and tail are orange-red in appearance. The two central tail feathers of the bird are dark red-brown in color. The female counterpart is identified as a grey-brown bird, but its lower rump and tail are orange-red in colour. One-year-old male is similar to female, but blacker. The length of a Black Redstart ranges from 13 to 15 cm and its weight ranges from 12 to 20 g.
White-Capped Redstart
In India, White-Capped Redstart has been traced in states like Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh. It is a black and red bird. As the name of the bird may suggest, it has a white crown on top of its heads. Although, male and female White-Capped Redstarts are known to have similar plumage, the male bird can be distinguished from the female bird in terms of larger white pattern on top of the head and brown red spots under the wings.
Plumbeous Water Redstart
Male and female Plumbeous Water Redstarts differ in terms of physical features. Male Redstart can be described as a slate blue bird with a rusty red tail. Its female counterpart can be identified in terms of a pale grey color on the body and a white colored rump. This bird has a length of about 14 centimeters. The male bird has an average weight of about 22 grams, whereas the female bird has an average weight of about 18.8 grams.
Daurian Redstart
Daurian Redstart is a migratory bird. The breeding male has a black face and chin. The crown and nape of the bird are grey in color. Its mantle and wings are brownish. There is a large white wing patch on the body of the bird. The bird has orange chest, lower back and rump. The tail is black with orange sides and the bill, eye, legs and feet are also black in color. Its female counterpart has warm brown upper body and paler lower body. It has white wing patches and orange rump and tail sides.
