Black Redstart, Zwarte Roodstaart, Hausrotschwanz, Rabirruivo-preto, Colirrojo Tizón
Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte in the Alentejo region of Portugal today. Black Redstart sound
The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the Thrush family (Turdidae), but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae).
More photos at the bottom of this page:
Female or immature European Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros gibraltariensis)It is a widespread breeder in south and central Europe, but very localised in Great Britain. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but northern birds winter in southern Europe or north Africa. It nests in crevices or holes in buildings.
It is more common in Britain as a bird of passage and winter visitor. On passage it is fairly common on the east and south coasts. Migrant Black Redstarts arrive in Britain in October or November and pass on or remain to winter, returning eastward in March or April.
The Black Redstart is 13-14.5cm in length. The male has no chestnut on the flanks nor white on the forehead. The female is greyer than the Common Redstart, and at any age the grey axillaries and under wing-coverts are distinctive. In the Common Redstart these are buff or chestnut.
The “fire” of the tail labels the bird as a Redstart, but it may be distinguished from the Common Redstart, which is the same size, at 14 cm length, by its sootier appearance, even when the distinctive white wing patch is not apparent, as in immature males.
They typically frequent cliffs and stony ground, but in Britain often breed and winter in industrial complexes that have the bare areas and cliff-like buildings it favours. It will catch passing insects in flight, and migrants may or hunt in the tide-wrack for flies or tiny crustaceans. Its quick ducks of head and body are robin-like, and its tail is often flicked. The male has a rattling song and a tick call.
Other synonyms:
Asturian: Raitán Moru
Azerbaijani: Qaraca odquyruq
Breton: Ar rulosteg du
Catalan: Coa-roja de barraca, Cotxa fumada, Merla roquera
Catalan (Balears): Coa-roja de barraca
Valencian: Merla roquera
Czech: Rehek domácí
Welsh: Llostrudd du, Tinboeth du, Tingoch du
Danish: Husrødstjert
German: Hausrotschwantz, Hausrotschwanz
English: Black Redstart, Black Redtail, Blackstart, Tithy’s Redstart
Esperanto: nigra ro^gvostulo, Nigra ro?vostulo
Spanish: Colirrojo Tizon, Colirrojo Tizón
Estonian: Must-lepalind
Basque: Buztangorri ilun, Buztangorri iluna, Cotxa fumada
Finnish: Mustaleppälintu
Faroese: Dimmur velreyði
French: Roguequeue noir, Rougequeue noir, Rougequeue tithys
Irish: Earrdheargán Dubh
Gaelic: Ceann Dubhan
Galician: Cotxa fumada , Rabirrubio
Manx: Kiaulleyder doo
Croatian: Crvenrepka kova?, Mrka Crvenrepka
Hungarian: Házi rozsdafarkú
Icelandic: Húsaskotta
Italian: Codirosso spazzacamino
Japanese: Kuro jou-bitaki, kurojoubitaki, Kuro-joubitaki
Cornish: Tyngough du
Latin: Phoenicurus ochruros
Limburgish: Roedbroenstartrotsliester
Maltese: Kudirross Iswed
Dutch: Zwarte Roodstaart, Zwarte roostaart
Norwegian: Svart rødstjert, Svartrødstjert
Polish: Iranka, kopciuszek, kopciuszek (zwyczajny), Kopciuszek zwyczajny
Portuguese: Rabirruivo-preto, rabiruivo preto, Rabiruivo-preto
Romansh: Cuacotschna da chasa
Scots: Ceann dubhan
Slovak: Žltochvost domový
Slovenian: šmarnica
Albanian: Bishtkuqi zeshkan
Serbian: Kucna crvenorepka
Swedish: Svart rödstjärt
Travel Birdwatching Holiday Alentejo, Vacation Portugal for birders to see birds on your trip.