Durian RedStart

Daurian Redstart  Phoenicurus  auroreus

Etymology:

• Phoenicurus : Greek word  phoinix –crimson, red, purple;   ouros–tailed
• Auroreus : Latin word for Eastern derived from aurora –dawn

Distribution in India: Winter Visitor in North East of India

Description:  Size of 14-15 cm, wt. of 11-20 g. Male nominate race has grey crown to nape, bordering black face and throat, black mantle, back and scapulars, blackish wings with compact bold white patch on mid-wing, orange-rufous rump and outer tail, blackish central tail and orange-rufous underparts; bill and legs are blackish. Female is mid-brown above, pale brown below, with white wing patch and tail pattern as male. The juvenile is dark brown with buff mottling above, buff with brown mottling below, with narrow rufous rump, black tail, white wing markings as adult. The race leucopterus male has larger, glossier black gorget, darker grey crown, deeper rufous underparts,the female is more olivaceous above, slightly darker below.

Habitat:  It is found in subalpine woods and forest, riverside thickets, secondary jungle, scrub, clearings, tea gardens, open country near human settlements, gardens and parks

Food Habits: It eats insects, berries and seed. Makes short flights from perch and short aerial sallies.

Breeding Habits: They breed in May-Aug.Nest is a cup made of straw, bark, moss and rootlets, lined with fine grass, hair and feathers, placed in hole in ground, tree, rock, wall, bank or cliff, on rafter of old building or in building site, generally below 1·5 m. They lay a clutch of 3–6 eggs; incubation period is 16–18 days and nestling period 13–14 days.