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
—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 Jerzy Strzelecki / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Family Kin (c) Arjan Haverkamp, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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