It is found in the Himalayas (mainly Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Bhutan), Yunnan and northern parts of Myanmar and Vietnam.

It breeds in the eastern Himalayas in rocky areas above the tree-line and winters at lower altitude in wooded valleys.

[5] The genus name Heteroxenicus combines the classical Greek words heteros for "different" and xenikos for "stranger".

The specific epithet stellata is from the Latin word stellatus meaning "starry" or "set with stars".

It is chestnut coloured above and dark grey below with small white spots or stars on its belly.