Description:

Relatively large, distinctive colored and unmistakable species, with yellow bill and legs. Adult birds have combination of dark slate grey upperparts and flanks, prominent white face and underparts, and rufous rear flanks, vent and undertail-coverts. Female smaller, sometimes with duller bill.

Distribution:

Vagrant or rare migrant through the western half of Gilgit-Baltistan. Found in reedy or grassy swamps, marshes, tall grass with reeds and shrubs, shores of rivers, ponds and lakes; also forest edges and scrub upto 2700m.

Behavior:

Gleans from ground ; pecks seeds from standing grass. Forages in the open along water margins; feeds on beaches at low tide. Climbs in bushes and trees, swims, and occasionally dives. Feeds mainly on worms, molluscs, insects (beetles, grasshoppers, etc.) and their larvae, spiders and small fish; also feeds on grass seeds, and shoots and roots of marsh plants.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of White-breasted Waterhen in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of White-breasted Waterhen

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.