Bird · GBIF taxon 5739315
Black Redstart
Phoenicurus ochrurosAlso known as Black Redtail, Tithys Redstart
Black redstarts stand out on urban roofs and rocky cliffs by constantly shivering their rust-red tails. Males feature dark charcoal plumage highlighted by a subtle white wing patch, while females present a softer grey-brown appearance. They flit down from elevated perches to snap up crawling insects on open ground before darting back to high vantage points.
InsectivoreMigratorySongbird
Licensed referenceEl Golli Mohamed / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Beetles
- Caterpillars
- Spiders
Predators
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk
- Domestic Cat
- Little Owl
ThreatsLoss of brownfield sites, building renovations, and severe winter weather
HabitatsRocky cliffs, mountain slopes, urban rooftops, and brownfield sites
Life span3–8 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyMuscicapidae
- SpeciesPhoenicurus ochruros
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Watching: Look for the rapid, shuddering tail flick whenever the bird lands on stone or concrete.
- Listening: Hear for its scratchy song mixed with a metallic, rolling crackle early at dawn.
- Attracting: Provide elevated stony ledges or open nesting boxes in quiet urban locations.
Habitat Neighbor Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative 
Family Kin (c) Arjan Haverkamp, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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