Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Phoenicurus ochruros
Family: Chats, Old World Flycatchers, and Allies · Status: Vagrant · Size: 14–15 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
The eastern races breed in central Asia and eastern China, wintering in northeastern Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Western races are generally resident in Europe and North Africa.
Adult male shows grey-black back, head, and upper breast with orange-rufous lower breast, belly, and vent. Female grey-brown above and below, with buffish-orange tinge on vent. Juvenile darker above and below than female, with faint dark scaling on throat to belly. First-winter males highly variable; some near-adult by autumn, most female-like through winter. Lacks white wing-spot in all plumages, which is the key distinction from Daurian Redstart, which always shows a broad white wing-patch. Compared with Common Redstart, noticeably darker overall; Common Redstart is paler and always shows orange-rufous tones on underparts above the vent.
Rocky areas, open country, and scrubland; also urban settings including villages, towns, and cities.
Feeds mainly on the ground, taking invertebrates and fruits; characteristically quivers the tail while perched.