The black redstart is a small, robin-sized bird with a distinctive red tail, though it is dark-plumaged like a robin. Males are dark grey to black with a black face and throat, while females are grey-brown. This species thrives in both uplands and urban environments, and is a skilled hunter that feeds on insects, spiders, and seeds.
Identification Size: About \(14\) cm (5.5 inches) long, similar to a robin.Male plumage: Mostly dark grey to black on the upperparts with a black face and throat. They have a bright red tail, and males of some subspecies have a white panel on the wings.Female plumage: Grey-brown overall, with a red tail.Tail: Both sexes have a red tail that they often flick, especially the males.
Habitat and behavior Habitat: It can be found in mountainous terrain, but has adapted to urban and industrial areas in central Europe, using buildings as a replacement for cliffs.
Terrestrial habits: It is a very terrestrial bird, often seen hopping on the ground, rocky outcrops, walls, and rooftops.Song: Sings from high perches, like the tops of houses or bushes, and has a song described as starting with a grating sound followed by rapid repetition of a note.
Diet Primary food: Feeds mainly on insects, including flying ones, which it catches in the air or on the ground, along with spiders.Other foods: It also eats worms, snails, seeds, and berries, especially in late summer and autumn.
Nesting and reproduction Breeding season: April to July in southern Europe.Clutch size: Lays \(5\) to \(6\) eggs.Incubation: The eggs are incubated for \(13\) to \(17\) days.
Nestlings: Young birds are helpless and blind when they hatch.