▁many ▁other ▁cou cal s , ▁is ▁of ▁a ▁black ish ▁bird ▁with ▁a ▁long ▁tail ▁and ▁r uf ous ▁wings . ▁They ▁have ▁two ▁pl um ages , ▁a ▁bre eding ▁pl um age ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁head ▁and ▁upper ▁back ▁are ▁gl oss y ▁with ▁dark ▁sh aft s ▁to ▁the ▁fe ather ▁and ▁a ▁d ull er ▁non - bre eding ▁pl um age ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁fe ather ▁sh aft s ▁on ▁the ▁head ▁and ▁back ▁are ▁wh it ish . ▁The ▁wing ▁cover ts ▁also ▁have ▁pale ▁sh aft s ▁showing ▁as ▁wh it ish ▁stre aks ▁on ▁the ▁brown ▁fe athers . ▁The ▁central ▁upper ▁tail ▁cover ts ▁are ▁bar red ▁and ▁very ▁long . ▁The ▁ir is ▁is ▁dark er ▁brown ▁and ▁not ▁the ▁crim son ▁red ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁greater ▁cou cal . ▁Ju ven iles ▁have ▁black ▁sp ots , ▁bars ▁and ▁have ▁a ▁brow ner ▁colour . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁sub species ▁variation ▁ ▁The ▁species ▁is ▁widely ▁distributed ▁west ▁from ▁the ▁Indian ▁sub cont inent ▁( but ▁not ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁despite ▁an ▁old ▁report ▁of ▁a ▁skin ▁of ▁doubt ful ▁proven ance ) ▁extending ▁east ▁across ▁S out heast ▁Asia . ▁S light ▁differences ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁pl um age ▁are ▁noted ▁in ▁different ▁parts ▁of ▁their ▁range ▁and ▁several ▁sub species ▁have ▁been ▁designated . ▁The ▁nomin ate ▁form ▁is ▁found ▁from ▁India ▁to ▁Th ailand . ▁Sub species ▁l ign ator ▁described ▁by ▁Sw inho e ▁in ▁