| Black Redstart | |
|---|---|
 Adult male, subspecies gibraltariensis | |
 Adult female/juvenile, subspecies gibraltariensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Phoenicurus |
| Species: | Phoenicurus ochruros |
The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a passerine bird related to the Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).
Subspecies[]
Generally, there are 8 subspecies of the Black Redstart, divided into 3 major groups of it based on morphology, biogeography, and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data, with differences between certain subspecies listed. Between 5 and 7 subspecies may be recognized by different authorities.
P. o. phoenicuroides group - Basal central and eastern Asian forms which diverged from the ancestral stock as the species slowly spread west (c. 3–1.5 mya). Females and juveniles are light grey brown.
- Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides - Tian Shan eastwards to Mongolia. Small; adult males have deep rufous lower breast, belly and flanks and sometimes white forehead, but do not have the pale wing patch. Overall quite similar to the much darker Common Redstart with black chest. Females and juveniles are similar to Common Redstart but have an overall sandier, paler colour and often a distinct buff eye-ring.
- Phoenicurus ochruros murinus - Altai, Tuva, northern China and western Mongolia. Distinguished from the previous Turkestan subspecies by the absence of any contrast in the colour of the head, nape and back, all of which are concolorous dark grey.
- Phoenicurus ochruros rufiventris - Turkmenistan eastwards through Pamir and Alay Mountains to the Himalayas. Usually large; adult males are like P. o. phoenicuroides, but darker overall, with black back and rufous-chestnut underside. Females have a rufous tinge to underside. Exact limits with P. o. phoenicuroides unresolved.
- Phoenicurus ochruros xerophilus - China east of and between ranges of preceding two. Large; colour pattern like P. o. phoenicuroides but paler. Not separate from P. o. rufiventris by many authorities.
P. o. ochruros group - Western Asian forms, whose lineage separated from the gibraltariensis group c. 1.5–0.5 mya. Females and juveniles are intermediate.
- Phoenicurus ochruros ochruros - Eastern Turkey, Alborz, and Caucasus. Small, somewhat intermediate between P. o. phoenicuroides and P. o. gibraltariensis. Generally like latter, but rufous underside. The pale wing patch is weakly developed.
- Phoenicurus ochruros semirufus - Levant. Small; adult males somewhat similar to rufiventris except in size. Black plumage areas extensive.
P. o. gibraltariensis group - European population, which formed as a distinct subspecies probably during the last ice age. Females and juveniles dark grey.
- Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis - Western Europe east to the Crimea and western Turkey. Neck, upper back and shoulders dark slate grey to black in adult males, lighter than face and neck. The pale wing patch is strongly developed.
- Phoenicurus ochruros aterrimus - Iberia and Morocco. Neck, upper back and shoulders black in adult males. Wide intergradation with P. o. gibraltariensis and treated as a synonym of it by many authorities.
Voice[]
The male has a rattling song and a tick call.
Description[]
The Black Redstart is about 13-14 cm long, has a 23-26 cm wingspan, and weighs 12-22 g. The adult male's plumage is a smoky gray-black, though with an orange-red belly and undertail in some subspecies, darker on the cheeks and throat, with a white wing patch, whilst the female is a warmer grey (western subspecies) or grey-brown (eastern subspecies), visibly darker than the female Common Redstart. The juvenile is similar to the adult female. Year old males resemble females but are blacker; the whitish wing panel of the western subspecies does not develop until the second year. Both sexes have black legs and bill and a rusty-red tail and lower rump. The central uppertail feathers are dark gray, especially in juveniles.
Behavior[]
Its tail is often flicked and quick ducks of the head and the body are robin-like.
Feeding[]
It feeds primarily on insects, caught in flight or on the ground, but also on earthworms and small berries. Migrating birds often hunt in coastal tide-wrack for flies or tiny crustaceans.
Breeding and Nesting[]
The Black Redstart's breeding season goes from April to September. It is a socially monogamous species. During this period, males can be heard singing from elevated perches. This bird nests in holes and cavities in rocky areas and walls, even in close proximity to humans, but may also nest in earth banks or piles of stones, sometimes on the ground. Mainly, the female builds a cup-shaped nest made of twigs, grass, moss, hair, feathers and straw. She lays 4-6 white eggs and incubates them for 13-17 days while the male feeds her and defends the territory. The young, cared for by both parents, fledge 12-20 days from hatching. A couple of Black Redstarts may raise up to 3 broods per year. The Black Redstart is a frequent Common Cuckoo host species.
Distribution and habitat[]
The Black Redstart breeds in a large portion of Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus along with central and east Asia. A short-medium distance migrant, this bird winters in north and northeast Africa, the Canary Islands, most of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, though many of the southern and western European populations are resident. In the British Isles, it is not uncommon as a passage and wintering bird, since only around 20-50 pairs breed there. Migrant birds arrive in Britain in October or November and either move on or remain to winter, coming back eastward in March or April. They also winter on the south and east coasts of Ireland. Originally exclusively found in open rocky areas in the mountains, the Black Redstart started adapting to life near humans in the 19th century as habitat preferences expanded to also be in similar urban habitats, including bombed areas during and after World War II, and large industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it goes for; in Great Britain, most of the small breeding population nests in such industrial areas. Today, it is one of the most common bird species in villages, rural areas, and suburban areas, especially in hilly and mountainous regions.
Gallery[]
