Redstart
The Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus ), or often simply redstart, is a small elegantpasserine bird in the genus Phoenicurus. Like its relatives, it was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family, (Turdidae), but is now known to be an Old World flycatcher (family Muscicapidae).
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withThe orange-red tail of Common redstarts, from which they and other redstarts get their names ("start" is an old word for "tail"), is frequently quivered. The males in summer have slate-grey heads and upper parts, except the rumps and tails, which, like the flanks, underwing coverts, and axillaries are orange-chestnut. The foreheads are white; the sides of the face and throat are black. The wings and the two central tail feathers are brown, and the other tail feathers are bright orange-red. The orange on the flanks shades to almost white on the belly. The bill and legs are black. In autumn, pale feather fringes on the body feathering obscure the colors of the males, giving them a washed-out appearance. The females are browner, with paler underparts; they lack the black and slate, and their throats are whitish.
Common redstarts spend their summers throughout most of Europe and western Asia (east to Lake Baikal), and also in northwest Africa in Morocco. They winter in central Africa and Arabia, south of the Sahara Desert but north of the Equator, from Senegal east to Yemen. These birds prefer to live in open mature birch, oak, or, particularly in the north of the breeding range, conifer woodland with high horizontal visibility and low amounts of shrub and understorey, especially where the trees are old enough to have holes suitable for their nests. Other habitats include orchards as well as villages, parks, and old gardens in urban areas.
Common redstarts are shy solitary birds that spend most of their time in trees. They are active during the day but perform their migration at night. Common redstarts often feed like a flycatcher, making aerial sallies after passing insects. Their main contact calls include rising, slightly dissyllabic huid, and monosyllabic heed which is regularly combined with ticking alarm calls. The male's song consists of soft melancholy strophes lasting 1-2 seconds that can be divided into three parts: an introduction, a repetitive part, and a more variable third part.
Common redstarts have a carnivorous (insectivorous) diet. They feed on various insects, especially favoring butterfly and beetle larvae.
Common redstarts are monogamous breeders and form pairs. The males first arrive in early to mid-April, often a few days in advance of the females. Nests are typically built in natural tree holes and lined with hair and feathers. A high cover of moss and lichen is also preferred. Females lay 5-6 light blue eggs during May and incubate them for 13-15 days. The chicks hatch blind and helpless and stay in the nest for about 15-18 days. Common redstarts may lay a second brood in midsummer in the south of their breeding range.
Common redstarts don’t face any major threats at present. However, in some parts of their native range, these birds suffer from habitat degradation due to pollution, heavy rainfalls, and competing for nest sites.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Common redstart is 32,100,000-49,800,000 mature individuals. In Europe, the breeding population consists of 9,630,000-15,000,000 pairs, which equates to 19,300,000-29,900,000 mature individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are increasing.