Common Redstart
[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Muscicapidae | [latin] Phoenicurus phoenicurus | [UK] Common Redstart | [FR] Rouge-queue a front blanc | [DE] Garten-Rotschwanz | [ES] Colirrojo Real | [NL] Gekraagde Roodstaart
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Phoenicurus | phoenicurus | EU | c, w, also nw Africa | ne, e AF | |
| Phoenicurus | phoenicurus | phoenicurus | |||
| Phoenicurus | phoenicurus | samamisicus |
Physical charateristics
Similar in length to European Robin but with much more attenuated form, most obvious in flatter crown, longer wings, and slim rear body extending into rather long taill. Marginally smaller and less robust than Black Redstart.
Small, elegantly dressed, and graceful chat, with fine bill, rather long wings and tail, and slim rear body, Brilliant rufous-chestnut rump and tail always eye-catching whether flirted in flight or characteristically quivered on ground.
Male blue-gey above, with white forehead and supercilium, deep rufous-orange to white below, with blackface and throat.
Female brown-grey above, buff to white below, with pale eye-ring and characteristic demure expression. Sexes dissimilar, much seasonal variation in male.
Small, elegantly dressed, and graceful chat, with fine bill, rather long wings and tail, and slim rear body, Brilliant rufous-chestnut rump and tail always eye-catching whether flirted in flight or characteristically quivered on ground.
Male blue-gey above, with white forehead and supercilium, deep rufous-orange to white below, with blackface and throat.
Female brown-grey above, buff to white below, with pale eye-ring and characteristic demure expression. Sexes dissimilar, much seasonal variation in male.
| wingspan min.: | 22 | cm | wingspan max.: | 27 | cm |
| size min.: | 13 | cm | size max.: | 15 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 12 | days | incubation max.: | 14 | days |
| fledging min.: | 14 | days | fledging max.: | 14 | days |
| broods: | 2 | eggs min.: | 4 | ||
| eggs max.: | 8 |
Range
Eurasia : Central, West, also Northwest Africa
Habitat
Breeds in west Palearctic from upper to middle latitudes, mainly continental and lowland, in boreal temperate, steppe, and Mediterranean zonse. Requires sheltered but fairly open wooded or parkland areas with access to dry secure nest-holes in trees, rocks, walls, banks, or other places and without too dense ro tall unbroken undergrowth or herbage.
At least in west of range prefers broad-leaved on mixed trees, but in some parts occupies open pine-woods, and is adapted to woodland edges, streamside and roadside trees, orchards, and gardens in human settlements.
At least in west of range prefers broad-leaved on mixed trees, but in some parts occupies open pine-woods, and is adapted to woodland edges, streamside and roadside trees, orchards, and gardens in human settlements.
Reproduction
In North-west Europe egg-laying from end of April or early May. In Southern Europe: up to two weeks earlier, northern Finland: late May to late June. Two broods over most of range, but only one in northern range.
Nest is a hole in a tree, rocks, or building, less often in bank, among tree-roots, or heap of stones, will use readily nest-box. Nest is a loose cup of grass, moss, and other vegetation, lined with wool, hair, and feathers. Clutch size is 5-7 (3-10) with an incubation period of 12-14 days with a fledging period of 14-15 days (13-17).
Nest is a hole in a tree, rocks, or building, less often in bank, among tree-roots, or heap of stones, will use readily nest-box. Nest is a loose cup of grass, moss, and other vegetation, lined with wool, hair, and feathers. Clutch size is 5-7 (3-10) with an incubation period of 12-14 days with a fledging period of 14-15 days (13-17).
Feeding habits
Diet based largely on insects and spiders. four main feeding methods.
1) Picks items from ground, apparently does not probe for worms and rarely searches in leaf-litter, though this recorded in Africa.
2) Feeds in trees and other vegetation, picking items from trunks, branches, and leaves, including by hovering near foliage, etc.
3) Flies from perch on to prey on ground, normally returning to perch to eat it.
4) Takes aerial prey in brief flight from perch.
1) Picks items from ground, apparently does not probe for worms and rarely searches in leaf-litter, though this recorded in Africa.
2) Feeds in trees and other vegetation, picking items from trunks, branches, and leaves, including by hovering near foliage, etc.
3) Flies from perch on to prey on ground, normally returning to perch to eat it.
4) Takes aerial prey in brief flight from perch.
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 increasing, 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 phoenicurus is a widespread summer visitor to Europe, which constitutes
>50% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is very large
(>6,800,000 pairs), but underwent a large decline between 1970-1990. Although
declines continued in various countries during 1990-2000, they abated in much of
Europe?most notably in Russia?and the species was probably stable
overall. Nevertheless, its population size remains far below the level that preceded its
decline, and consequently the species is provisionally evaluated as Depleted.
Phoenicurus phoenicurus is a widespread summer visitor to Europe, which constitutes
>50% of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is very large
(>6,800,000 pairs), but underwent a large decline between 1970-1990. Although
declines continued in various countries during 1990-2000, they abated in much of
Europe?most notably in Russia?and the species was probably stable
overall. Nevertheless, its population size remains far below the level that preceded its
decline, and consequently the species is provisionally evaluated as Depleted.
Migration
Migratory. Movement mainly nocturnal, with broad-front trans-desert passages across Africa and Middle East. 2 distinct populations: nominate phoenicurus breeds Europe, Siberia, and north-west Africa, and winters across Afrotropics north of equator; samamisicus breeds around Black and Caspian Seas and in northern Middle East, and winters in Arabia, Sudan, and Ethiopia.
Autumn movement through Europe mainly south-westward. Leaves breeding grounds in second half of August, with peak passage through north-west Europe in early September and numbers there diminishing gradually during October. Relatively rare in autumn in North Africa, suggesting tendency for Mediterranean and northern Sahara to be overflown. First arrivals south of Sahara in first half of September, but not common there until mid-October. Spring passage in Africa more conspicuous than in autumn. Vanguard arrives northern Europe in first half of April; main arrivals there mid-April to mid-May, with passage declining into June.
Autumn movement through Europe mainly south-westward. Leaves breeding grounds in second half of August, with peak passage through north-west Europe in early September and numbers there diminishing gradually during October. Relatively rare in autumn in North Africa, suggesting tendency for Mediterranean and northern Sahara to be overflown. First arrivals south of Sahara in first half of September, but not common there until mid-October. Spring passage in Africa more conspicuous than in autumn. Vanguard arrives northern Europe in first half of April; main arrivals there mid-April to mid-May, with passage declining into June.
Distribution map
