The brightly-colored male is unmistakable with his black mask, sky-blue head, and orange rump and bellies.

Meet the Blue-capped Rock Thrush

“Blue-capped Rock Thrush (Male)” by Yogendra174 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The blue-capped rock thrush (Monticola cinclorhyncha) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. The Medium-sized, compact rock thrush is primarily a tree-dwelling species. The male displays distinct features such as a white wing patch, blue crown and throat, and orange rump and underparts. However, during non-breeding and first-winter plumages, the bright coloration is somewhat concealed by pale fringes.

“Blue-capped Rock Thrush” by Sai Adikarla is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The female of the rock-thrush species is characterized by a gray-brown plumage with scaled underparts and subtle white eye crescents. It bears a resemblance to the larger female Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush.

Related Reading:

– An outrageously gregarious bird who creates an impressive first impression with its distinctive white chevrons covering its head and breast!

On the other hand, it can be distinguished by the absence of prominent white “ear crescents,” less densely-patterned underparts, and an overall paler appearance on average.

“blue capped rock thrush female” by T_Monk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The blue-capped rock thrush breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and winters in the hill forests of southern India.

“blue-capped rock thrush” by T_Monk is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This species is an uncommon summer visitor to the southwestern regions of Ghizer and Diamer, extending up to the Gilgit district. It is typically found in open pine and oak forests, as well as rocky grass-covered slopes with scattered trees, ranging in altitude up to 3000m. During winters, it descends to lower elevations, particularly in moist forests and well-wooded areas.

“Blue-capped Rock Thrush” (cropped) by savisingh is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

When foraging, the rock-thrush scans its surroundings from a tree perch and occasionally drops down to the ground. It also searches for food within trees, exploring trunks and branches. On the ground, it utilizes its bill to turn over leaf litter, and at times, it engages in sallying behavior, pursuing flying insects. This species has a varied diet that changes with the seasons, including insects, snails, worms, small lizards, and frogs, as well as berries and seeds.

“Blue-capped Rock Thrush” by savisingh is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

“A Blue Capped Rock Thrush looking for action (51187294353)” (capped) by Hari K Patibanda is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This bird is regarded as of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

“Blue-capped Rock-thrush (Monticola cinclorhyncha) (49965802082)” by Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Check this bird out below: