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Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Redstart

Männchen (CC BY-SA 2.5) Thomas Kraft

Short Description

The redstart has red-brown tail feathers that frequently quiver.

Males can be recognised by the black head. Their bodies are also mainly grey-black. A striking feature is the reddish-brown chest.

Females are grey-brown with a beige chest.

Features

Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

  • red-brown tail feathers

Gesang

Conrads, CC BY-SA 3.0

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Similar species

Black redstart

Phoenicurus ochruros
The black redstart is darker and more grey in colour. The female’s chest is grey. Males, too, can be distinguished by their dark chest and foreheads, ranging from grey to black.
Jungtier (CC BY 3.0) Matthias Barby

In the city

Redstarts can be found in parks, orchards and urban gardens as well as cemeteries. It needs the presence of old trees in order to build a nesting hole. If these are absent, particularly in an urban setting, redstarts will also use nesting aids or make their nest in recesses of buildings.

Fun Facts

  • From April to July, redstarts are one of the first birds to be heard singing in the morning. They start to sing approx. 80 minutes before sunrise.

  • The migratory bird can be seen in Germany from April to October. It hibernates in southwestern Europe or Africa. In rare instances, redstarts also hibernate in Germany.

  • Redstarts feed on insects. Butterflies are a favourite food in the breeding season.

  • Endangerment level Germany: Warning list
Weibchen (CC BY-SA 3.0) Jerzy Strzelecki

Sources

Männchen, Thomas Kraft, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phoenicurus_phoenicurus_male%28ThKraft%29.jpg

Jungtier, Matthias Barby, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phoenicurus_phoenicurus(Gollibolli)1.JPG

Weibchen, Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phoenicurus_phoenicurus_female%28js%29.jpg

Svensson, L. (2011) Der Kosmos Vogelführer - Alle Arten Europas, Nordafrikas und Vorderasiens, Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.

Bejcek, V. (1988) Zugvögel, Hanau/Main: Verlag Werner Dausien.

Witt, K. & Steiof, K. (2013) Rote Liste und Liste der Brutvögel von Berlin, 3. version, 15.11.2013. : Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. (eds.) Berliner Ornithologischer Bericht, volume 23, Berlin: Berliner Ornithologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V., 1-23.

Fiedler, W. (2015) Die Vögel Mitteleuropas sicher bestimmen - Schlüssel zur Art-, Alters- und Geschlechtsbestimmung, Wiebelsheim: Quelle & Meyer Verlag.

Makatsch, W. (1989) Wir bestimmen die Vögel Europas, Leipzig: Neumann Verlag.

Voigt, A. (2006) Exkursionsbuch zum Studium der Vogelstimmen, Heidelberg: Quelle & Meyer Verlag.

Harrison, C. (1975) Jungvögel, Eier und Nester aller Vögel Europas, Nordafrikas und des Mittleren Ostens - Ein Naturführer zur Fortpflanzungsbiologie, Hamburg und Berlin: Verlag Paul Parey.

Artenfinder (2016) Phoenicurus phoenicurus (Gartenrotschwanz), URL: https://arteninfo.net/elearning/voegel/speciesportrait/3102 (Accessed: 18.04.2016).

NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (2016) Vogeluhr, URL: https://www.nabu.de/nabu_vogeluhr2/index.php?iframed=1 (Accessed: 10.02.2021).