Black Redstart
The Black Redstart is a small passerine bird. Like its relatives, it was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family but is now known to be an Old World flycatcher.
The Black Redstart is similar in size and weight to the Common Redstart. The adult male is dark grey to black on the upperparts and with a black breast. The lower rump and tail are orange-red with 2 dark red-brown central tail feathers. The belly and undertail are either blackish-grey (western subspecies) or orange-red (eastern subspecies) and the wings are blackish-grey with pale fringes on the secondaries forming a whitish panel (western subspecies) or all blackish (eastern subspecies). The female is grey (western subspecies) to grey-brown (eastern subspecies) except for the orange-red lower rump and tail. First year males are similar to females but blacker.
The Black Redstart is a widespread breeder in south and central Europe, north west Africa and Asia, ranging from the UK south to Morocco and east to central China. It is resident in the milder parts of its range but north eastern birds migrate to winter in southern and western Europe, north Africa and Asia.
The Black Redstart originally inhabited stony ground in mountains, particularly cliffs, but since about 1900 it has expanded to include similar urban habitats including bombed areas during and after World War 2 and large industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it favours. It generally nests in crevices or holes in buildings.
In the UK, the Black Redstart is most common as a passage and winter visitor with only 20 to 50 pairs breeding. On passage, it can be found on the east and south coasts whilst in winter it can be found on the coasts of Wales and western and southern England with a few also at inland sites. Migrants arrive in the UK in October or November and either move on or remain to winter returning eastward in March or April.
The Black Redstart will catch passing insects in flight and migrants often hunt in coastal tide-wrack for flies or tiny crustaceans.
Date: 22nd January 2018
Location: Sheringham, Norfolk
The Black Redstart is similar in size and weight to the Common Redstart. The adult male is dark grey to black on the upperparts and with a black breast. The lower rump and tail are orange-red with 2 dark red-brown central tail feathers. The belly and undertail are either blackish-grey (western subspecies) or orange-red (eastern subspecies) and the wings are blackish-grey with pale fringes on the secondaries forming a whitish panel (western subspecies) or all blackish (eastern subspecies). The female is grey (western subspecies) to grey-brown (eastern subspecies) except for the orange-red lower rump and tail. First year males are similar to females but blacker.
The Black Redstart is a widespread breeder in south and central Europe, north west Africa and Asia, ranging from the UK south to Morocco and east to central China. It is resident in the milder parts of its range but north eastern birds migrate to winter in southern and western Europe, north Africa and Asia.
The Black Redstart originally inhabited stony ground in mountains, particularly cliffs, but since about 1900 it has expanded to include similar urban habitats including bombed areas during and after World War 2 and large industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it favours. It generally nests in crevices or holes in buildings.
In the UK, the Black Redstart is most common as a passage and winter visitor with only 20 to 50 pairs breeding. On passage, it can be found on the east and south coasts whilst in winter it can be found on the coasts of Wales and western and southern England with a few also at inland sites. Migrants arrive in the UK in October or November and either move on or remain to winter returning eastward in March or April.
The Black Redstart will catch passing insects in flight and migrants often hunt in coastal tide-wrack for flies or tiny crustaceans.
Date: 22nd January 2018
Location: Sheringham, Norfolk
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