White-capped Redstart

White-capped Redstart also known as White-capped Water Redstart, River Chat and White-cappped River Chat is an attractive species seen frequently along high altitude fast flowing streams and at lower altitude in winter. It is a species that I have seen several times on Himalayan treks. It has undergone several taxonomic and scientific name changes from Thamnolaea leucocephala to Chaimarrornis leucocephalus and is now named in the latest IOC list as Phoenicurus leucocephalus and placed in the family Muscicapidae, Chats and Old World Flycatchers. This latest change was based on the results of a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010.

White-capped Redstart was only seen twice on this trip on the same day in Doi Inthanon National Park. Both male and female birds are black with red underparts with a white crown. Males have a larger white pattern on top of the head and brown red spots under the wings. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and South-east Asia, as well as some adjoining areas. The species ranges across Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

References: IOC; Wikipedia