Redstart from Gansu, China ... July 07 (1 Viewer)

These were taken at about 2000m altitude, just outside Lanzhou.

I am happy that the adult male is a white winged redstart, Phoenicurus erythrogaster. The variation in the extent and intensity of the white cap is a noted feature for the region.

What are the others ? I guess the one with the red breast is a juvenile male of the same species that has started to develop adult colouration. Is that correct ? If so, an unusual moult pattern - what is the moult process involved ? But I am not comfortable with this guess at all ... might this be a juvenile chat ? Too much red on the belly ? Too much speckling on the breast ? Wings too dark ? No supercilium ?

I guess the third pic is a juvenile white winged redstart that is not developing those features. My books show adult females without white wing patches, so I guess this might be a male too.

What are these last two please ? Moult explanations would be appreciated

Mike.

Mike,

These birds are all Daurian Redstarts with the middle image illustrating a more advanced juvenile male than the right hand bird which is also probably a male due to the amount of white in the wing. You can rule out White-winged as the white does not extend onto the base of the primaries, the cap is too extensive, underparts orange not red/orange and the darker tail centre. With regards to the moult question, I think you have the equivalent here of a first and second brood scenario, hence the much more advanced middle bird, July can be 3/4 months into the breeding season.

Mark

rockfowl said:

Mike,

These birds are all Daurian Redstarts with the middle image illustrating a more advanced juvenile male than the right hand bird which is also probably a male due to the amount of white in the wing. You can rule out White-winged as the white does not extend onto the base of the primaries, the cap is too extensive, underparts orange not red/orange and the darker tail centre. With regards to the moult question, I think you have the equivalent here of a first and second brood scenario, hence the much more advanced middle bird, July can be 3/4 months into the breeding season.

Mark

Click to expand...

Thanks for the correction Mark. I see why you were a bit chary about M&P ... the cap doesn't look like the illustration in M&P at all to me. Again the Oriental Bird Club site is extremely useful.

I had thought these might be different broods of the same species (maybe sibs). Would be interesting to know a bit more about how the colouration develops.

Mike.