Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Least Concern
This colourful little songbird brightens British woodlands with its fiery orange tail and acrobatic fly-catching skills.
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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Common Redstart is a small, slender bird with a distinctive orange-red tail that it frequently quivers. Males sport a striking black face, white forehead, and blue-grey upperparts, contrasting with their vibrant orange-red breast and flanks.

Females and juveniles are more subdued, with brown upperparts and a pale buff breast. Both sexes retain the characteristic orange tail, though it's slightly duller in females and young birds. Females also have a narrow, white ring visible around the eye.

Size

Length

13cm to 14.5cm

Wingspan

20cm to 24cm

Weight

11g to 23g

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Grey Orange Black

Secondary Colour

White Brown

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Black

Primary Colour (Female)

Brown Buff

Secondary Colour (Female)

White Orange

Beak Colour (Female)

Black

Leg Colour (Female)

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Common Redstart can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Common Redstart can be found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Common Redstart can be found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Common Redstart is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Common Redstarts inhabit open woodlands, forest edges, parks, and gardens across Europe and western Asia. They prefer areas with a mix of mature trees and open ground for foraging.

These birds are summer visitors to most of their breeding range, including the UK, where they arrive in April and May. They spend winters in sub-Saharan Africa, making them true long-distance migrants.

Wales and northern England are particular 'hotspots' for breeding Redstarts, with other breeding populations in north-west Scotland as well as isolated spots across south-western England.

Elevation Range

Up to 2,900 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic, Mediterranean

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Common 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
© 2024 - Birdfact
Resident
Breeding
Non-breeding
Passage
Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year
Algeria Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Côte D'Ivoire Cyprus Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Finland France Gambia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Guinea-Bissau Iran Israel Italy Kenya Kuwait Lebanon Liberia Libya Mali Malta Mauritania Morocco Niger Nigeria Pakistan Palestine Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Spain Sudan Syria Togo Tunisia Uganda Ukraine Western Sahara Yemen
Species that are present in the area during their breeding season
Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Estonia Georgia Hungary Ireland Kazakhstan Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan The United Kingdom Turkey Turkmenistan
Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season
South Sudan
Species that pass through the area during migration
Afghanistan Bahrain Iraq Jordan Kyrgyzstan Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Spain United Arab Emirates
Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range
Faroe Islands Iceland Rwanda Seychelles Tanzania Zimbabwe

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

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Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:
  • Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
  • Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
  • Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
  • Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
  • Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

  • 0-20: Very Low
  • 21-40: Low
  • 41-60: Average
  • 61-80: High
  • 81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 85

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Common Redstart displays remarkable agility, with quick, darting movements and frequent perch-to-perch flights. Their ability to swoop and catch insects mid-air, coupled with their restless nature and tail-quivering behaviour, indicates high manoeuvrability and reflexes.

Strength 30

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

As a small passerine bird weighing between 11-23 grams, the Common Redstart has limited physical strength. While capable of long-distance migration, their strength is more focused on endurance rather than raw power.

Adaptability 75

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Common Redstarts show good adaptability, inhabiting various environments from woodlands to urban gardens across a wide elevation range (up to 2,900 metres). Their ability to supplement their insect diet with berries and their capacity to nest in diverse locations, including artificial nest boxes, demonstrates flexibility.

Aggressiveness 40

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

While not overtly aggressive, Common Redstarts do exhibit territorial behaviour, particularly during breeding season. Males defend small territories and perform display flights, but they are not known for excessive aggression towards other species or conspecifics outside of normal breeding behaviour.

Endurance 80

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Common Redstart's long-distance migration from Europe to sub-Saharan Africa showcases impressive endurance. Their early departure in autumn and ability to complete such extensive journeys, coupled with their active foraging behaviour, indicates high stamina and resilience.

Diet

Common Redstarts primarily feed on insects and spiders, which they catch by swooping from a perch or sometimes gleaning from vegetation.  Sawflies, ants, wasps and hoverflies are among the chief prey.

During autumn, they supplement their diet with small berries and fruits, especially before and during migration.

Flying insects may also be caught using the ‘sallying’ technique, with male redstarts in particular observed to catch prey mid-flight by hovering or fluttering in pursuit of flies.

Behaviour

Common Redstarts are agile and restless birds, often seen flitting from perch to perch with quick, darting movements. They frequently bob their distinctive orange tails and flick their wings.

These birds are generally solitary outside the breeding season, defending small feeding territories.

Vocalisation

The Common Redstart's song is a short, sweet warble, often ending with a flourish. It's described as 'hueet-tick-tick' or a soft whistle followed by a rattle. Their alarm call is a sharp 'huit' often accompanied by tail-flicking.

Males sing prominently during the breeding season, often from exposed perches.

Nesting & Breeding

Breeding occurs from May to July, with males arriving at nesting sites before females to establish territories. Males perform display flights and sing to attract mates.

Nests are typically built in tree holes, wall crevices, or nest boxes, constructed mainly by the female using grass, moss, and feathers. The clutch usually consists of 5-7 pale blue eggs, sometimes specked with red-brown markings.

Incubation lasts about 13-14 days, primarily by the female. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge after 12-15 days but remain dependent on adults for another two weeks.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern [1]

While listed as Least Concern globally, Common Redstart populations have experienced declines in parts of Europe.

Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable breeding habitats, particularly in managed woodlands and parklands. Climate change and habitat loss in wintering grounds are ongoing concerns.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

32,100,000 - 49,800,000 mature individuals [2]

Global Population Trend

[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Birdwatching Tips

  • Look for their distinctive tail-quivering behaviour
  • Listen for their soft 'hueet' call and melodious song
  • Search in open woodlands, parks, and gardens, especially near the edges
  • In the UK, watch for them during spring and summer in suitable habitats

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

European Redstart, Redstart

Family:

Muscicapidae

Average Lifespan

2 years

Max Lifespan

10.2 years [4]

Predators

Common Redstarts face predation from various birds of prey, including sparrowhawks and merlins. Ground-nesting pairs are vulnerable to mammalian predators such as foxes and weasels.

Did You Know?

  1. Common Redstarts can imitate the calls of other bird species in their song.
  2. They are one of the earliest migrants to leave Europe in autumn, often departing in August.
  3. The name 'redstart' comes from the Old English for 'red tail'.

FAQs

How to attract Redstarts?

In the absence of natural tree hollows, redstarts will occasionally set up home in a manmade nest box, and one way to make your garden as appealing as possible is to encourage a wide variety of insect life for them to forage on.

Planting a mix of insect-friendly plants and flowers and leaving weeds to grow wild may bring you some success in attracting Redstarts.

Redstart sightings are increasingly being reported in urban areas, such as parks and residential areas, so it is not impossible for breeding redstarts to nest in a back garden in the regions in which they are most widespread.

References

  1. 1 2

    website: BirdLife International. 2019. Phoenicurus phoenicurus (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T22710055A155611852.

    View source
  2. 3

    report, 2015: EBCC

  3. 4

    website, 2010: Fransson et al., EURING list of longevity records for European birds

    View source

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