Black Redstart

Pheonicurus ochruros

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

14cm. Darker than Common Redstart. Breeding male slaty-black above with a black face and breast, and a white flash in the wing. Female duller brown. Reddish rump and tail.

VOICE

Call a quiet ‘tsip-tsip’. Song a short high-pitched warble punctuated by characteristic gravelly notes.

HABITAT

Rare breeding bird in Britain, mainly south-east, more widespread in winter, much commoner on near continent. Cliffs, rocky coasts and very urbanised areas.

FOOD AND HABITS

Eats mainly insects. Constantly shivers tail. Often nests in wall cavities.

Common Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

14cm. Male has a grey back, black face and throat, white forehead, and bright chestnut breast and tail. Female is a duller brown. Tail is waved up and down.

VOICE

Calls ‘hooeet’ and ‘kwee-tucc-tucc’. Song a squeaky warble.

HABITAT

Widespread summer visitor in northern Europe, in Britain more common in north. Breeds in deciduous woodland, on migration often lingers in scrubby coastal areas.

FOOD AND HABITS

Eats mainly insects; also worms, spiders and berries. Nests in a tree hollow.

Stonechat

Saxicola torquatus

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

12cm. Male has a black head, white patch on sides of neck, white wingpatch and dark brown upperparts. Female duller with streaked brown upperparts.

VOICE

Call a persistent ‘tsak, tsak’, like two stones being hit together; plaintive song.

HABITAT

Resident in Britain and much of Europe. Nests in heathland and similar scrubby habitats, some upland breeders move to the coast in winter.

FOOD AND HABITS

Diet is chiefly insects; also worms and spiders. Nests on the ground, often under the cover of a gorse bush.

Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

15cm. Breeding male has a blue-grey back and black eye-mask, wings and lower tail; distinctive square white rump and upper tail visible in flight. Winter male is browner.

VOICE

Call ‘chack, chack’.

HABITAT

Summer visitor to mainly northern Britain and north-west Europe. Breeds mainly on rocky uplands, during migration found on beaches and grassy areas on the coast.

FOOD AND HABITS

Eats mostly insects. Nests on the ground in rabbit burrows, holes under stones and stone walls.