Black Redstart

Copyright: monacoeye • France, December 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Black Redstart
Latin: Phoenicurus ochruros
Other: Rouge Queue Noir (Fr), Colirrojo tizón (Es), Codirosso spazzacamino (It), Hausrotschwanz (De), Rabirruivo-preto (Pt)
Family: Muscicapidae • Flycatchers
Range: Europe, Asia, North Africa

Male, above, and female or immature below. The Black Redstart is one of the more common birds along the Mediterranean coast, especially in winter.

Black Redstarts like to stand on relative high points, like rocks, posts or the apex of rooftops and bob up and down.

Males are mostly dark grey, blackish around the eye and throat with russet tail, and some white on wings. Females and immatures are plainer and mousier and can be confused with the similar Common Redstart in the summer.