A handsome passage migrant seen in both spring and autumn. In both sexes, the plumage is densely patterned with dark scale-like crescents. But while the female's plumage is essentially brown, the adult male is spectacularly adorned with red, blue and white. It is seen resting on walls, posts and wires, and hunting for insects and small reptiles on open ground. It is usually seen singly or in pairs and is typically silent on migration.
