Northern Red-flanked Bluetail

Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas, 1773)

Description

Less than Sparrow. Old male of Red-flanked Bluetail is determined unmistakably by the grey-blue upperparts, especially bright on lesser wing coverts and upper tail coverts; the flanks are rusty. Differs from the Siberian Blue Robin by the rusty flanks. The autumn plumage is same color but the blue on the head and back is marked by olive-grey edges on feathers. In 2nd year male the coloration as in female: the tail is bluish, the rest of the upperparts are olive-gray, the flanks are rusty, narrow eye-ring is white, throat and belly are whitish, the breast is with unclear dark band. Some of the males has female-like color all their lives (grey-olive morph). Juveniles are like the juvenile Bluethroat or Robins, olive-brown pale mottled; but they are well distinguishable by the blue tail. Weight 12-18 gr, length about 12-15, wing 7.0-8.4, wingspan 21-24 cm.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000. "Птицы Казахстана" том 3. "Наука". Алма-Ата, 1970.