Black Redstart

Black Redstart

              Introduction of Black Redstart

         The Black Redstart ( Scientific Name : Phoenicurus ochruros ) is a small passerine bird in the redstart genus Phoenicurus. It is 15 cm in length and 20 gm in weight, similar to the Common Redstart.

                    How to Identify Black Redstart

        Male Black Redstart has black upperparts which is marked with some  grey color in winter.   Color of crown  and lower back is grey. Rump and sides of tail are rufous,  throat and breast is black. In female upperparts is  dull brown-grey, tail of female is similar to male and dull rust-red rump. It is a common winter bird of India.

                        Habits and Habitats 

      It is generally found among the open country and in cultivated land, villages and towns among the vegetation in trees and bushes. Black Redstart also found in rocky areas with some vegetation, stony slopes, crags and gulleys in mountainous areas. Shivering of tail and jerky body movements is one of its characteristic. For preys, it uses the “sit-and-wait” tactics.
This bird feeds mainly on invertebrates and berries. It consumes various insects, spiders, small molluscs and earth worms. Fruits and seeds of several plant species are taken too.Black Redstart
According to the range, each subspecies is adapted to the local habitat.open country, cultivation.
               Food
      Invertebrates such as grasshoppers, bugs, flies, ants, bees, wasps, beetles, spiders, small molluscs and earth worms are the main food . It also feeds on berries, fruits and seeds. The diet may vary according to the location.

             Distribution

        Black Redstart  has five subspecies  and are found in wide range .
       P. o. gibraltariensis  or Western Black Redstart is found in Europe (N to S Scandinavia, E to E Ukraine and W Turkey) and NW Africa;
       P. o. ochruros or Eastern Black Redstart is found in Asia Minor (E from C Turkey), extreme SW Russia, Caucasus and NW Iran;
       P. o. semirufus found in SE Turkey, W Syria, Lebanon and NE Israel, possibly N Iraq;
       P. o. phoenicuroides found in S Russia (Tuva Republic) and W & C Mongolia S to NE Iran (E Elburz Mts), SW Turkmenistan (Kopet Dag), Tien Shan, E, SE & S Kazakhstan, N Pakistan and NW India;
       P. o. rufiventris is found in Pamir-Alai Mts of S Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan E through Himalayas to C China;

   The Black redstart living in the northern or colder parts may migrate to hot southern places. In India it is found in  the Himalayan area at an elevation of 2,400–5,200 meter.

              Call

         Black Redstart utters sharp” tsip”, sometimes in series “tsip-tsip-tsip”, as contact or alarm call. In territorial defence, it gives hard “tuc”. When the bird is really threatened, it utters both sounds “tsip-tk-tk”.During courtship displays and fights, it gives short whistles and churrs.
The song is variable with some mimicry, composed with weak warbling phrases, often beginning with the “tsip” note, followed by rolling “truee-truee-truee”

            Breeding and Nesting 

       Breeding season varies according to the range like Mid-Apr to mid-Jul in W Europe, up to 2 weeks later in E Europe; late Apr to Jun in Morocco; Apr–Jul in Israel and May to August in India. This species lays eggs two times per year. Black Redstart uses holes and cavities such as crevices in rocks and walls, in earth banks or piles of stones as their nest. Sometimes make nest on the ground also. The  cup-shaped nest is made with grass, moss, hair and feathers.  Female lays 4 to 6 white eggs. Incubation period is 12-13 days and hatched by female only. The young leave the nest about 12 to 17 days after hatching, but they cannot fly during several days, and they remain in the surroundings of the nest. They are fed by both parents, mainly on insects.