Black Redstart
[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Muscicapidae | [latin] Phoenicurus ochruros | [UK] Black Redstart | [FR] Rouge-queue noir | [DE] Haus-Rotschwanz | [ES] Colirrojo Tizon | [NL] Zwarte Roodstaart
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | EU, OR | w EU to c China | n AF, s Asia | |
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | gibraltariensis | |||
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | ochruros | |||
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | phoenicuroides | |||
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | rufiventris | |||
| Phoenicurus | ochruros | semirufus |
Physical charateristics
Black Redstart adult has dark greyish or blackish plumage. Rump, vent and tail are orange-red, very conspicuous in flight, or when tail is fanned. We can see sometimes a whitish wing panel.
Underparts are black or greyish black. Breast is darker than belly. Crown and nape are greyish black. Forehead and face are black.
Pointed bill, eyes, legs and feet are black.
Female is duller, with uniform smoky grey-brown plumage. Greyish breast is slightly streaked with darker.
Juvenile is slightly mottled with browner plumage than female.
First year is very similar to female. First spring male lacks pale wing panel. Many young males resemble female until second autumn.
Underparts are black or greyish black. Breast is darker than belly. Crown and nape are greyish black. Forehead and face are black.
Pointed bill, eyes, legs and feet are black.
Female is duller, with uniform smoky grey-brown plumage. Greyish breast is slightly streaked with darker.
Juvenile is slightly mottled with browner plumage than female.
First year is very similar to female. First spring male lacks pale wing panel. Many young males resemble female until second autumn.
Listen to the sound of Black Redstart
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/B/Black Redstart.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 23 | cm | wingspan max.: | 25 | cm |
| size min.: | 14 | cm | size max.: | 16 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 13 | days | incubation max.: | 17 | days |
| fledging min.: | 12 | days | fledging max.: | 17 | days |
| broods: | 2 | eggs min.: | 3 | ||
| eggs max.: | 7 |
Range
Eurasia, Oriental Region : West EU to Central China
Habitat
Black Redstart lives in rocky hilly or mountainous areas, towns and villages. We can find it at up to 2500 metres of elevation. It has adapted to live in industrial and urban centres, and may nest in railway stations, factories, buildings, quarries and cliffs.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Black Redstart breeds in South and Central Europe, very localized in Great Britain. It is resident in most of its range, but northern birds winter in southern Europe and North Africa.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: Black Redstart breeds in South and Central Europe, very localized in Great Britain. It is resident in most of its range, but northern birds winter in southern Europe and North Africa.
Reproduction
Black Redstart’s nest is often located in holes, cavities, crevices, in industrial centres, in all parts where it can find a small place to build its nest. Female builds the loose nest, with dry grasses and leaves at base (in urban areas) and with mosses (in rocks and cliffs). Nest is lined with hair and feathers.
Female lays 4 to 6 glossy white eggs. Incubation lasts about 13 days, by female alone. Both parents feed the altricial chicks with insects and caterpillars. At hatching, chicks are covered with sparse dark grey down on head and back.
Young fledge between 12 and 18 to 20 days after hatching, according to the weather and disturbances. They remain hidden on the ground, before their first flight, at about 32 to 35 days of age.
This species produces two broods per season, sometimes three, in the same place each year, but they build a new nest.
During breeding season, Black Redstart sings continuously, and more and more when spring is coming. Birds perform some dances before copulation. They are monogamous the most of time, but some males may have two females.
Black Redstart is often moving. When alarmed or excited, it gives brief sharp calls while crouching and flickering its tail. It chases away from its territory even the birds of its own species.
Female lays 4 to 6 glossy white eggs. Incubation lasts about 13 days, by female alone. Both parents feed the altricial chicks with insects and caterpillars. At hatching, chicks are covered with sparse dark grey down on head and back.
Young fledge between 12 and 18 to 20 days after hatching, according to the weather and disturbances. They remain hidden on the ground, before their first flight, at about 32 to 35 days of age.
This species produces two broods per season, sometimes three, in the same place each year, but they build a new nest.
During breeding season, Black Redstart sings continuously, and more and more when spring is coming. Birds perform some dances before copulation. They are monogamous the most of time, but some males may have two females.
Black Redstart is often moving. When alarmed or excited, it gives brief sharp calls while crouching and flickering its tail. It chases away from its territory even the birds of its own species.
Feeding habits
Black Redstart feeds mainly on insects and their larvae. On the beaches, they eat a good quantity of tiny crustaceans. In late summer and in autumn, they also consume fruits and berries.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Phoenicurus ochruros is a widespread breeder across much of Europe, which accounts
for less than half of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is
very large (>4,000,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there
were declines in a few populations during 1990-2000?notably the sizeable one in
France?trends were stable or increasing across most of Europe, and the species
underwent a small increase overall.
Phoenicurus ochruros is a widespread breeder across much of Europe, which accounts
for less than half of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is
very large (>4,000,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although there
were declines in a few populations during 1990-2000?notably the sizeable one in
France?trends were stable or increasing across most of Europe, and the species
underwent a small increase overall.
Migration
Resident, partial migrant, or migrant in different parts of range, main wintering area for west Palearctic breeders being Mediterranean basin, with a few on west coast of Europe and some southward extension to north-west and (especially) north-east Africa.
P. o. gibraltariensis (breeding in most of European range east to Ukraine and Crimea) winters in small numbers in Britain and west and central France; regular in winter in Belgium, and occasional in Switzerland and Germany. Northern limit of wintering varies from year to year. Southern limit is northern edge of Sahara with occasional records further south. However, bulk winter in Mediterranean basin, being common on coasts and islands in western Mediterranean. Nominate ochruros (breeding eastern Turkey and Caucasus east to northern Iran) makes only short movements to winter in western Zagros mountains of Iran and in Iraq; present on breeding grounds from end of March or early April to end of September.
P. o. gibraltariensis (breeding in most of European range east to Ukraine and Crimea) winters in small numbers in Britain and west and central France; regular in winter in Belgium, and occasional in Switzerland and Germany. Northern limit of wintering varies from year to year. Southern limit is northern edge of Sahara with occasional records further south. However, bulk winter in Mediterranean basin, being common on coasts and islands in western Mediterranean. Nominate ochruros (breeding eastern Turkey and Caucasus east to northern Iran) makes only short movements to winter in western Zagros mountains of Iran and in Iraq; present on breeding grounds from end of March or early April to end of September.
Distribution map
