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Black Redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros

Not yet photographed by the community

Sooty-grey; nests on industrial buildings; scarce breeder.

Species Profile

Amber List (scarce breeding species with range expansion concerns)

Lifespan: 5–8 years in the wild
Size & Weight: 14–15 cm, wingspan 23–26 cm; 12–20 g
Habitat: Rocky outcrops, quarries, cliffs, and increasingly urban areas with bare ground and suitable nesting cavities.
UK Distribution: Scarce summer breeder in south and central England, Wales, and southern Scotland; passage migrant in spring and autumn; winters occasionally in small numbers.
Diet: Primarily insects and spiders, including flies, beetles, and small invertebrates; occasionally eats seeds in winter.
Prey: Flies, beetles, spiders, caterpillars, and small arthropods
Predators: Sparrowhawks, peregrines, and occasionally cats; eggs and chicks vulnerable to corvids and weasels
Mating Season: April to July
Breeding: Clutch size 4–6 eggs; incubation period 12–13 days; fledging at 12–16 days; typically one brood per year, occasionally two.
Behaviour: Highly territorial and acrobatic, often seen perched on rocks with characteristic tail-dipping behaviour. Males perform elaborate song-flights during breeding season. Generally solitary or in pairs, with migrants sometimes forming loose groups.

Did You Know?

•Males are slate-grey with a distinctive black face and orange-red breast; females are more subdued brown with pale underparts
•The species has expanded its breeding range northwards into the UK over recent decades, likely due to climate change
•Black Redstarts favour industrial sites, bomb sites, and modern buildings, making them increasingly urban adapters
•They are winter visitors from southern and central Europe, with some Scandinavian birds passing through the UK
•Their call is a distinctive harsh 'tic-tic-tic' followed by a warbling song often described as similar to a Wren but more musical

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