red-tailed water redstart, Chuan
Wong, Xi Qu Yan, Qing Er
Voice:
Features:
The
Plumbeous water redstart has a small and light build, with
a body length of 12-14cm and a wing length of 7-8cm. Males
and females differ in coloration. Males have dark, lead-colored
plumage; a light gray lower belly; tinted-black forehead and
cheeks; and chestnut red upper and lower tail coverts, tail
feathers, and flight feathers, which are also dark brown on
the edges. Females have a dark gray abdomen and back, with
the former covered with white spots and the latter slightly
light brown on the sides; white upper and lower tail coverts;
and dark brown tail and flight feathers. Their young are also
different, with male juveniles having white specks only on
the head while young females have spots extending throughout
their entire plumage. However, both male and female Plumbeous
water redstarts have black beaks and light brown legs and
feet.
Behavior:
Plumbeous
water redstarts have a sweet, sharp voice, and their long
calls are often heard in the mountains and near rivers. Their
primary diet consists of insects, spiders, and millipedes,
as well as a few types of plants. Every year, their breeding
season begins around the same time as the Chinese Lantern
Festival (late-January to early-February) and ends sometime
in May or June. Their nests are constructed out of moss, ferns,
waterweeds, and the stems of plants, and are usually built
in cracks or openings between rocks. Females typically lay
a clutch of four to five bluish-green, brown-spotted eggs.
A territorial and aggressive bird, Plumbeous water redstarts
will chase away other birds that encroach into their area,
even if the intruders are larger in size; however, they are
very shy in the presence of humans. The birds are often seen
standing in water or on rocks in the middle of a stream or
river, usually running with their open tail feathers flapping
like a fan. Plumbeous water restarts are very nimble birds
and are quite capable of catching flying insects, after which
they will quickly return to their original location to eat
their prey.
Habitat:
Plumbeous
water restarts are a sub-species endemic to Taiwan commonly
found in areas around the island where there are mountains
and rivers. Their main habitats include rocky areas, mountain
walls along rivers, and the foot of mountains at low and middle
elevations up to an altitude of 2400m.
