Shimla, July 11 -- The White-bellied Redstart, an elusive migratory Himalayan songbird wintering in Southeast Asia, has returned to Rakchham-Chitkul Wildlife Sanctuary in Kinnaur for breeding, reaffirming the sanctuary's importance as a key breeding habitat in the western Himalaya.
According to wildlife experts said the sanctuary offers one of the best opportunities in Himachal Pradesh to observe the bird between May and September, when it breeds in dense treeline vegetation comprising Berberis (barberry), juniper and rhododendron shrubs.
The White-bellied Redstart (Luscinia phaenicuroides) is more often heard than seen. Its bell-like whistle followed by a sharp "tuk-tuk" call usually reveals its presence before the bird emerges from thic...