Siberian Stonechat

Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus was seen only on two days of the tour with a total of three birds. This female bird spent time in the open flying along a row of small bushes and perching at intervals on top of a bush. It is possibly in non-breeding plumage but it is difficult to be certain.

Siberian Stonechat is also known as Asian Stonechat and has undergone taxonomic revision. It is a recently validated species (but not by all taxonomic authorities), having been split from Common (now European) Stonechat Saxicola rubicula and placed in the Old World Chats and Flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). Like the other thrush-like chats, it was previously placed in the Turdidae family. It breeds in temperate Asia and easternmost Europe and winters in the Old World tropics.

The breeding range covers most of temperate Asia, from about latitude 71°N in Siberia south to the Himalaya and south west China, and west to eastern Turkey and the Caspian Sea area. It also breeds in the far north east of Europe, mainly in Russia but occasionally as far west as Finland.

The wintering range of the migratory bird is from southern Japan south to Thailand and India, and west to north east Africa. On migration, small numbers reach as far west as western Europe, and exceptionally as far east as Alaska in North America.

Siberian Stonechat is insectivorous. It breeds in open rough scrub land or rough grassland with scattered shrubs, from sea level to about 4,000 m above sea level or more. The birds seem to avoid even cool temperate conditions and stay up north only during the hot continental summer. In the montane regions of the Himalaya foothills of Bhutan, migrants can on occasion be seen foraging in fields and pastures more than 2,000 m above sea level, but most move further down and south to winter in tropical regions.

Reference: Wikipedia