Adult Plumage:
The crown and nape are black, speckled with rufous-brown. Broad rufous-brown bands extend from the eyes along the sides of the crown, with a dark stripe between the bands. The hindneck is lighter. The back is black with a slight purplish and greenish sheen, with feathers edged in rufous and gray. The neck and chest are pale white, with some rufous tinge and brown spotting. The rest of the belly is white. The under tail coverts have brown tips. The area in front of the eye and a stripe from the beak to the cheek are dark brown. The wings are pale brownish-black, with wing feathers edged in pale rufous and gray. The central tail feathers are pale black, broadly edged with rufous; the other tail feathers vary from brown to pale gray-rufous, becoming paler on the outer feathers.
Winter Plumage:
The winter plumage is similar to the summer plumage but paler and duller.
Eyes: Dark brown.
Beak: The tip of the beak is black, the base is brown and pale green or yellow-green.
Legs: Yellow-green, tinged with gray.
Measurements:
- Wing: 106 – 116 mm
- Tail: 45 – 50 mm
- Tarsus: 23 – 25 mm
- Bill: 38 – 44 mm
Distribution:
This species breeds in the extreme north of Europe and Asia; it migrates during the winter to southern Europe, Africa, Central Asia, India, Myanmar, southern China, and Indochina.
Vietnam: This species is found in northern, central, and southern Vietnam.