Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros

The Black Redstart, a city-dwelling songbird, adds a touch of wilderness to urban landscapes across the UK.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Black Redstart is a small, sleek bird with a distinctive appearance. Adult males sport a striking black plumage on their head, throat, and upper parts, contrasted by a bright rusty-red tail and lower belly. Their wings feature a prominent white patch, visible in flight.

Females and juveniles have duller plumages, with grey-brown upperparts and a paler underside. Both sexes retain the characteristic red tail, though it's less vibrant in females.

Size

Length

13cm to 14.5cm

Wingspan

23cm to 26cm

Weight

12g to 20g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Black Grey

Secondary Colour

Red White Orange

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Black

Primary Colour (Female)

Grey Brown

Secondary Colour (Female)

Red Orange

Beak Colour (Female)

Black

Leg Colour (Female)

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Black Redstart can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Black Redstart can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Black Redstart can be found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Black Redstart is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Black Redstarts thrive in rocky habitats, both natural and man-made. They are commonly found in urban areas, nesting on buildings, industrial sites, and ruins. Their natural habitats include mountain cliffs, rocky coasts, and open woodland edges.

The species breeds across Europe and Asia, with populations extending from the UK to China. In winter, many European birds migrate to the Mediterranean region and North Africa.

In the UK, they are year-round residents, albeit rare, in some urban areas, with numbers boosted by winter visitors. Passage sightings are regularly reported in spring and autumn across eastern England.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 3,700 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Mediterranean, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Black Redstart. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons