Eurasian Redstart

Phoenicurus phoenicurus (Linnaeus, 1758)

2016-04-28 Tyumen region, Tyumen	© Luiza Mardonova

Description

The Eurasian Redstart is some less than sparrow. The male in summer has a slate-grey head and upperparts, except the rump and tail, which, like the flanks, underwing coverts and axillaries are orange-chestnut. The forehead and supercilium are white; the sides of the face and throat are black. The wings and the two central tail feathers are brown. The orange on the flanks shades to almost white on the belly. The bill and legs are black. In autumn, broad margins obscure the colours of the male, giving a washed-out appearance. The female is browner, with paler underparts; she lacks the black and slate, and her throat is whitish. The female is distinguished from same coloring and sizing birds by the red tail. Unlike the tail of Bluethroat it has not dark terminal band. The juveniles in first plumage as well as many other Turidae birds have mottled plumage but they yet have species character as the red tail, rump and uppertail. In the mid-end summer the first plumage is changed to first winter plumage similar to the female. Unlike female juveniles have light strips formed by buff tips of the coverts. Young males are distinguished from females by the darker throat and the more orange breast. It often weak-willed twitches by the slightly lowered tail. Flitting Redstarts open the tail and it as though flashes the red. Weight 11-20 grams, length 13-17, wing 7,5-8,6, wingspan 22-27 cm.

References