Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
Aves › Passeriformes › Muscicapidae › Phoenicurus
Conservation status: least_concern
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.
How To Identify
The Black Redstart is a relatively small passerine with rich rufous and black plumage. Males typically exhibit vibrant reddish coloration across the chest and head, contrasting sharply with deep black markings on the wings and tail.
Habitat
It typically inhabits rocky slopes, mountain cliffs, and increasingly urban and industrial areas with bare ground and exposed structures across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa.
Behaviour
Black Redstarts constantly flick their tails and bob their bodies while foraging on the ground, and males are highly territorial, singing from exposed perches to advertise their presence.
Native Range
The black redstart is a widespread breeder in rocky habitats across Eurasia and North Africa from the British Isles south to Morocco and east to central China.
Did You Know?
The Black Redstart has colonized urban environments across Europe by treating buildings, chimneys, and industrial structures as artificial cliff faces, thriving in cities where many other birds struggle. Males perform a distinctive fluttering display flight while singing to defend their territories.
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