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Ring Ouzels are medium-sized Eurasian thrushes. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Breeding males of nominate race torquatus are all-black, except for a white chest crescent. Those of the southern race "alpestris" have silvery edge lining on their feathers below the crescent, giving them a scaly appearance. Breeding females have a duller, brownish-white chest crescent and are more brownish in colour overall. In eclipse the chest crescent of males becomes very inconspicuous; that of females may not be visible at all during winter. First-winter males resemble females, with some more scaly structure from thin edge lining of their feathers.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Ring Ouzel is available HERE .

Ring Ouzels are a mostly migratory Eurasian species, with 3 recognized races. Their total range extends from subtropical north-western Africa to South of the Caspian Sea and from central northern Africa to the North Cape, including parts of western Europe. Race "amicorum" breeds in the Caucasus and in central Asia Minor, as well as northern Iran. This race overwinters in western to central Iran.

In Europe, only races "torquatus" and "alpestris" are present. Nominate race "torquatus" breeds in parts of the British Isles and in the highlands of Scandinavia, i.e. mostly Norway and the Kola peninsula. They overwinter in southern Europe (mostly Greece and southern Spain) and in north-western Africa. Apart from a few small areas in low mountain rances, race "alpestris" breeds primarily in the high mountain ranges of southern and central Europe, i.e., the Pyrenees, the Alps, the High Tatras and the Balkans. This race overwinters is southern Europe, North Africa and southern Asia Minor.

Race "torquatus"

Race "alpestris"