Flycatchers and chats · Perching birds
Black Redstart
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Phoenicurus ochruros
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Voice
Alarm
Song
Call
How to recognize it
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Length 13–14.5 cm
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Both sexes: orange-red rump and tail with a dark central stripe; tail often twitches
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Adult male dark grey to black; males in European populations may have a white wing patch
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Females and young: grey in the west, grey-brown in the east, more uniform
About the species
A male Black Redstart in many European populations is charcoal-dark, with a rusty-red rump and tail. His ash-gray crown and pale wing panel contrast with his nearly black breast. Females are gray-brown but share the rusty tail. Compared with the Common Redstart, it is generally darker.
From an upright perch on a roof edge or stone, it drops to the ground for insects or catches them in flight. It often flicks its tail and makes quick dips with its head and body. Its song starts with a rough trill and runs into rattling notes, while short “tek” calls sound sharp.
It uses rocky mountain slopes as well as open urban ground, including industrial and construction sites, and nests in holes or crevices in rock or buildings. It eats insects and other small invertebrates, taken from the ground or caught in the air, and adds berries in summer and autumn. Some populations stay year-round, while those in the northeast move south for winter.
Where to find
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In industrial and construction districts, listen for the Black Redstart's rattling song from a high exposed perch — a male is marking territory.
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Along open railway embankments with low vegetation, watch for quick drops to the ground in search of small invertebrates.
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On rocky mountain slopes, look for chases of passing insects in the air.
