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19

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) Alternate name(s): "Tithy's Redstart", "Blackstart", "Black Redtail" German name(s): "Hausrotschwanz" Size: 13-14.5 cm; wing span: 23-26 cm Weight: 12-22 g

Europe: Family Group 19 Family Group 19 Table European Robin Common Redstart Black Redstart Bluethroat Whinchat European Stonechat Common Rock Thrush Blue Rock Thrush Common Nightingale Northern Wheatear Isabelline Wheatear Black-eared Wheatear Black Wheatear White-throated Dipper Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black Redstarts are robin-sized birds. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Black Redstarts of race "gibraltariensis" have an all-grey front that is dark from chin to lower chest and light-grey on belly and vent, with pale-rufous undertail coverts. Also the frons and the ear coverts are near-black dark-grey. The crown, nape of the neck, back and mantle are ash-grey. The dark-grey, slightly vermiculated wings have prominent white bars. The rump is rusty-red. Females of all races are inconspicuous grey-brown, with slightly darker grey wing feathers. The belly and vent are mouse-grey. They have inconspicuous light-grey eye-rings. The tail of both sexes and all races is reddish brown. The irises are black. The straight, slender bill is dark-grey. The legs and feet are also dark-grey. Juveniles and immature male birds have a more vermiculated plumage than adult males.

Taxonomy, classification See Black Redstart at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range 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 Black Redstart is available HERE . Black Redstarts are a mostly migratory species with several extant races (for details refer to a field guide). They are permanent residents in parts of southern and western Europe. In the summer they extend their breeding range into the rest of central, eastern and south-eastern Europe, from the southern Scandinavian coastal areas to the Balkans and from southern England to the Caucasus. They are also permanent residents in some areas of the Atlas mountain range in north-western Africa, in parts of Asia Minor and also in near-coastal areas of the Middle East. The migratory birds from the northern parts of their range spend the winters in near-coastal northern Africa and in parts of Asia Minor and the Middle East and the Arabian peninsula. Other races breed in parts of central and eastern Asia. They are found as far to the East as Mongolia and central China. In Europe Black Redstarts are permanent residents in northern Spain, western France, all of Italy and also along the northern Mediterranean coastline including all of Greece. In the rest of continental Europe, except most of Scandinavia and north-eastern Europe beyond the Baltic states, they are breeding migrants. As such they are also found in south-eastern England. Black Redstarts are usually found in poorly vegetated areas such as mountain ranges, quarries or badlands, but they will breed in urbanized environments too, where buildings substitute rockfaces and cliffs.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "gibraltariensis" D. Wilczynska reports spotting Black Redstarts, race "gibraltariensis", in both Wizna and Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, during the 2016 breeding season. A. Sarok reports spotting a Black Redstart, race "gibraltariensis", in Temerin, Serbia, in September 2016. H. Dahlem-Senger reports finding Black Redstarts, race "gibraltariensis", in Eltville, Hessen, Germany, regularly since the 2019 breeding season. Race "aterrimus" J. Pires reports spotting Black Redstarts, race "aterrimus", semi-regularly in various parts of Portugal. G. Pinelas reports finding Black Redstarts, race "aterrimus", semi-regularly in various parts of Lisbon, Portugal. H. Dahlem-Senger also found Black Redstarts, race "aterrimus", in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2019. Race "ochruros" D. Wilczynska reports finding Black Redstarts, nominate race "ochruros", in Georgia, on the southern fringes of the Caucasus. Race "semirufus" Black Redstarts, race "semirufus", were spotted by us in Oman.

Photos

Race "gibraltariensis"

ADULT

MALE

Near-lateral view of a male Black Redstart; note the prominent wing bar and the all-grey front, which is characteristic of this race (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Wizna, on the river Narew, Poland, May 2016]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Wizna, on the river Narew, Poland, May 2016]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Black Redstart (photo courtesy of A. Sarok)
[Temerin, Serbia, September 2016]

Lateral view of a female Black Redstart (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Moulting juvenile Black Redstart (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Black Redstart; note the yellow gape (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malinowo, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Black Redstart; note the yellow gape (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Malinowo, Masovia, Poland, August 2016]

Race "aterrimus"

ADULT

MALE

Males of this race have the peculiarity that they can come in various shades of grey to black. Some individuals are so black that they look hyper-melanistic (i.e., as if they had an overabundance of black colour pigments in their plumage).

Frontal view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Queluz, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2017]

Frontal view of an almost pitch-black male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2014]

Near-frontal view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2014]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2021]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Lisbon, Portugal, November 2019]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart on its rocky perch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

Lateral view of an almost pitch-black male Black Redstart on its rocky perch (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart issuing its call (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a male Black Redstart; note the characteristic white wing panels (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vale Vilarica, Tras os Montes, Portugal, May 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2019]

View onto the upperparts of an almost pitch-black male Black Redstart; note the characteristic white wing panels
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2015]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Queluz, Lisbon, Portugal, December 2016]

Near-lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2022]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart looking at the observer (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Queluz, Lisbon, Portugal, December 2016]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2015]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, September 2016]

Lateral view of a female Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Figueira da Foz, near Coimbra, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2018]

Lateral view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Reboleira, Lisbon, Portugal, September 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, January 2022]

Dorsal view of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2020]

Dorsal view onto the upperparts of a female (or first-year male) Black Redstart in low flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2022]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a first-winter male Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Peniche, Oeste, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-lateral view of a begging juvenile Black Redstart (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2019]

Race "ochruros"

ADULT

MALE

Near-lateral view of a male Black Redstart; note the gradual transition from black to ochre on the belly characteristic of the nominate race (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Wizna, on the river Narew, Poland, May 2016]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of an immature male Black Redstart in first summer advanced plumage, with its prey, a flying insect
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)

Race "semirufus"

Black Redstarts, nominate race "semirufus", were photographed in Oman.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Mar - Aug

Eggs: 4 - 6

Incubation period: 12 - 13 days

Fledging age: 12 - 17 days

The length of the breeding season depends on geographic latitude and can start earlier and end later in southern parts of the range, while starting later and ending earlier in the northern parts of the range. Two broods can be raised in most seasons.

Nest building: Female

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female & male

The male selects the nest site, but the female builds the nest. One peculiarity is that the chicks are semi-precocious - they leave the nest a few days before they can fly.

Nest

Type: Basket in cavity

Material: Grass, moss, straw, feathers

Height above ground: 2 - ? m

In recent times (since the 20th century) Black Redstarts build nests in suitable niches in houses, sheds or barns, e.g. under awnings - behaviour which had previously not been observed.

Black Redstart nest with 3 begging chicks; since later 5 chicks were seen, although not visible, there must be 2 more eggs at the bottom of the nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]

Black Redstart nest with 5 chicks (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]

Female Black Redstart at its nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]

Male Black Redstart bringing food for its brood (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]

Male Black Redstart bringing food for its brood (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Eltville, Hessen, Germany, June 2019]

Eggs

Size: 19 x 14.5 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Tapered oval

Food, Diet

Black Redstarts are primarily insectivores.

Lateral view of a male Black Redstart with its prey, a caterpillar (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Wizna, on the river Narew, Poland, May 2016]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

brstart_jp_20230221.mp3	gibraltariensis (Portugal)	Territorial calls?	© JP
brstart_dw_20180615.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Territorial calls? (male)	© DW
brstart_dw_20160612.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Territorial calls?	© DW
brstart_dw_20160805.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Territorial calls?	© DW
brstart_dw_20190630.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Pair Q&A (Territorial calls?)	© DW
brstart_dw_20200711.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Alarm (human)	© DW
brstart_dw_20160915.m4a	gibraltariensis (Poland)	Various	© DW
brstart_jp_20190606.m4a	gibraltariensis (Portugal)	Various (+ frogs)	© JP

More Black Redstart sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Fri, 26 May 2023, 1:22 +00:00