Birds · Passeriformes · Muscicapidae

Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

A small bird with an orange-red rump and tail, the feature that gives it its name. The male has a jet-black breast and face and a white patch on the wing; females and young are greyish brown. It perches upright and flicks its tail in a characteristic way.

Weight

12 g – 20 g

Size

13 cm – 15 cm

Lifespan

5 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

MountainInsectivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Mountain

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Fun facts

GeneralIt shivers its rust-coloured tail constantly; very common on rooftops and bell towers.
About 250 years ago it was an exclusively mountain bird; since then it has colonised the lowlands and the cities of Europe.
Nests have been documented in unlikely places, such as inside church lamps or the works of an old tower clock.
It has a liking for hairy caterpillars, which most insect-eaters refuse.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Rocky ground, high mountains, villages and cities
Gestation / incubation: 13-17 days, by the female alone. The chicks fledge at 12-19 days
Litter / clutch size: 2-8 eggs, usually 4 to 6, with two broods a year between April and July

Sources consulted: SEO/BirdLife; BirdLife International 2021, IUCN Red List (e.T22710051A166353782); Snow y Perrins 1998, The Birds of the Western Palearctic vol. 2; Asturnatura; Animalia.bio