Common Redstart
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Population size
32.1-49.8 Mln
Life Span
2 years
Weight
11-23
0.4-0.8
goz
g oz 
Length
13-14.5
5.1-5.7
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
22
9
cminch
cm inch 

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).

Di

Diurnal

Ca

Carnivore

In

Insectivores

Ov

Oviparous

Ar

Arboreal

Al

Altricial

Mo

Monogamy

So

Solitary

Mi

Migrating

C

starts with

Appearance

The 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.

Video

Distribution

Geography

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 Redstart habitat map

Climate zones

Common Redstart habitat map
Common Redstart
Attribution-ShareAlike License

Habits and Lifestyle

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.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Common redstarts have a carnivorous (insectivorous) diet. They feed on various insects, especially favoring butterfly and beetle larvae.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
INCUBATION PERIOD
13-15 days
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
5-6 eggs

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.

Population

Population threats

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.

Population number

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.

References

1. Common redstart Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_redstart
2. Common redstart on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22710055/155611852
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/707300
4. Video creator - https://avibirds.com

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