Description:

Small size bird, usually sits atop a prominent perch, flicking wings and tail. Male has black head, white patch on neck, orange breast and whitish rump (features obscured by pale feather fringes in fresh plumage); lacks white in tail. Female has streaked upperparts and orange on breast and rump.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant and summer visitor to all the areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. Found at 1000-3500m, in stony barren ground and alpine meadows with scattered bush, reedy wetland margins, cultivated terraces, pastures and scrubby hillsides.

Behavior:

Hunts mainly from low exposed perch in typical perch-and-pounce method, flying down to take prey on ground, often returning to same perch. Diet almost entirely invertebrates, mainly small or medium-sized insects and their larvae; occasionally small vertebrates, seeds and fruit.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Siberian Stonechat in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Siberian Stonechat

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.