The common redstart

Although a common migrant during both spring and autumn migration the Common Redstart is an extremely scarce breeding bird in our region. Throughout much of Europe they prefer open mature birch, oak or, particularly in the north of the breeding range, conifer woodland with a high horizontal visibility and low amounts of shrub and understorey especially where the trees are old enough to have holes suitable for its nest. Other habitats of the species are orchards as well as villages, parks and old gardens in urban areas. The local population breeding in the National Park Sierra de las Nieves has long been known and has been studied over an extended period, but what is perhaps less well known is the few breeding pairs in our other National Park Sierra de Grazalema.

I have been studying my local patch within the borders of the Sierra de Grazalema for 24 years and I have to go back 21 years for a previous confirmed record of breeding Common Redstart, although singing males have been heard in subsequent years. Of course, with the presence of singing males during May and June, it is almost certain breeding has been taking place each year, but as is often the way with birding, it is being in the right place at the right time to confirm actual breeding. So, imagine my delight in being able to confirm breeding during the 2025 season with observing a pair breeding in open oak woodland within my local patch. A special moment for me to observe these beautiful small and colourful birds.

Interestingly, Common Redstart shows some affinity to the European Robin in many of its habits and actions. It has the same general carriage, and chat-like behaviour, and is the same length at 13–14.5 cm long but slightly slimmer and not quite as heavy, weighing 11–23 g. The orange-red tail, from which it and other redstarts get their names ("start" is an old word for "tail"), is frequently quivered. Among common European birds, only the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochrurus) has a similarly coloured tail.

One aspect of Common Redstarts I find fascinating is they are sometimes parasitised by Common Cuckoos. Surprisingly, redstart chicks do not suffer from sharing the nest with a cuckoo chick. The presence of a cuckoo might even be beneficial for the nestlings. The large size of the cuckoo chick affects the thermoregulation in the nest. In some sense, the cuckoo chick is 'brooding' the redstart nestlings. Moreover, food provision might be better for redstart chicks in a mixed brood.

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