Adult Plumage:
The adult bird exhibits a pale rufous crown with two faint black-brown longitudinal stripes. The dorsal surface is black-brown, marked with rufous-brown streaks, with the posterior back appearing pale gray. The pale rufous tail displays darker transverse bands. The wings are black, with white tips on the secondary feathers. The central tail feathers are black at the base, transitioning to rufous with a black band, and ending with white tips; the rufous coloration of the lateral tail feathers is replaced by white. There are 14 tail feathers. The plumage is duller in winter. The eyes are dark brown. The bill is yellow-brown or dull greenish-gray at the base, transitioning to horn-brown or pale black at the tip. The legs are yellowish-green.
Measurements:
- Wing: 126 – 142 mm
- Tail: 62 – 75 mm
- Tarsus: 36 mm
- Bill: 60 – 75 mm
Distribution:
The species is distributed across most of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia, excluding the northern tundra and the arid regions in the south. It also nests in Japan, Myanmar, and, to a limited extent, throughout Vietnam and southern Laos. In winter, the species migrates south to France, England, Africa, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, southern China, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In Vietnam, the species is present during winter throughout the plains, midlands, and even in mountainous regions up to 500 – 600 meters in altitude.