One of the 2 redstarts on WAnimals
Birds · Passeriformes · Muscicapidae
Moussier's Redstart
Phoenicurus moussieri
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
Moussier's redstart is a bird endemic to north-west Africa, the male showing a striking combination: a black head with a broad white eyebrow that wraps around the nape like a diadem, and an intensely orange breast and belly. It lives in the Atlas Mountains and turns up very occasionally in southern Spain as a vagrant.
Weight
12 g – 18 g
Size
12 cm – 14 cm
Lifespan
7 years
Diet
Insectivore
Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- It is endemic to the Maghreb: it does not breed outside north-west Africa, and its appearance in southern Spain or the Balearic Islands is an event that draws dozens of birdwatchers.
- The white diadem that wraps around its nape is unique among the redstarts and gives it an unmistakable look even at a distance.
- It has been recorded extending its range to higher altitudes in recent decades, a shift consistent with the warming climate in the Atlas.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Stony slopes, mountain scrub and forest edges of the Atlas, between 1,000 and 3,000 metres
- Sexual maturity
- 12 months
- Gestation / incubation
- 14 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 4 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicurus_moussieri
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Moussier's Redstart — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush
Monticola saxatilis
Black Wheatear
Oenanthe leucura
Blue Rock Thrush
Monticola solitarius
European Stonechat
Saxicola rubicola
Common Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochruros
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Based on what we already know about moussier's redstart.
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