Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a common chats, old world flycatchers, and alli found in 97 countries, weighing about 17 g. The black redstart is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family.
About the Black Redstart
The black redstart is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is a widespread breeder in rocky habitats across Eurasia and North Africa, from the British Isles south to Morocco and east to central China. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but northern and eastern birds migrate.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black redstart is 13–14.5 cm (5.1–5.7 in) in length and 12–20 g (0.42–0.71 oz) in weight, similar to the common redstart. The adult male is overall dark grey to black on the upperparts and with a black breast; the lower rump and tail are orange-red, with the two central tail feathers dark red-brown. The belly and undertail are either blackish-grey (western subspecies; see Taxonomy and systematics, above) or orange-red (eastern subspecies); the wings are blackish-grey with pale fringes on the secondaries forming a whitish panel (western subspecies) or all blackish (eastern subspecies).
What the Black Redstart sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Mauritania, Japan.
When to see it
The Black Redstart can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black Redstart?
- The black redstart is 13–14.5 cm (5.1–5.7 in) in length and 12–20 g (0.42–0.71 oz) in weight, similar to the common redstart. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black Redstart?
- The Black Redstart is a small sized bird weighing about 17 g.
- Where can you see a Black Redstart?
- The Black Redstart occurs in 97 countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Sweden.
- What does a Black Redstart sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Black Redstart on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Black Redstart?
- The Black Redstart is most easily confused with the Common Redstart, the Daurian Redstart and the Plumbeous Water Redstart.
- Is the Black Redstart endangered?
- The Black Redstart is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black Redstart for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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