Ala Shan Redstart Phoenicurus alaschanicus Scientific name definitions

NC China (Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia); non-breeding S Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing.

A nest found in early Jul was in a mossy recess 2·5 m up in a 3 m high bank; nest cup made mainly from moss and grass stems, with dead leaves and lichens incorporated into the outer wall, and with internal lining of moss and hair; 5 eggs, with a cream ground-colour, finely mottled with pale red-brown concentrated in a heavier zone at the larger end (2 Dixon, A., Ashford, C. and Stafford, P. (2011). A description of the nest and eggs of Przevalski's Redstart Phoenicurus alaschanicus. BirdingASIA. 15: 71–73. Close ). No further information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near-threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Qinghai Mountains EBA. Apparently rare; numbers presumably adversely affected by habitat loss in breeding range, but precise breeding range and habitat requirements require elucidation. Reportedly common in Koko Nor in early 20th century. Recorded from Helan Mountain and Yanchiwan Nature Reserves.