COMMON REDSTART

Phoenicurus phoenicurus

Order: Passeriformi

Family: Turdidi

The Common Redstart is a fairly common insectivorous and confiding bird that can be found in woods, gardens and parks where it nests in natural or un-natural cavities. It is famous for the colouring of its male plumage which makes it one of the most beautiful birds in the European avifauna.

Common redstart with an insect in its beak (male)

RECOGNITION

The Common Redstart is a bird that is easy to identify because the male's very colourful plumage is difficult to miss. In fact, the flanks and breast are a very intense tawny colour that fades into an off-white on the lower belly as far as the sub-caudal coverts in contrast to the tail, which is again tawny like the rump. The predominant colour on the back is a slate grey which spreads to the nape and the apex and then stops with a white spot on the forehead. The throat and sides of the head are black, as are the tarsus and the beak. The female, on the other hand, is brownish in colour with a faded rust-coloured breast and tail. Juveniles have a rust-coloured rump and upper part of the tail while the rest of the body has no particular features other than white dots.

DISTRIBUTION

The range of the Common Redstart includes all of Europe, northern Asia and north-western Africa. The countryside with wooded and open areas with hedges is the ideal habitat.

Young common redstart explores surroundings

PHOTOGRAPHY

Often it uses elevated perches where it monitors the territory and/or hunts spotting the insect of its interest and then quickly flies over it and returns to the same perch. All my photos on this web page have been taken taking advantage of this characteristic, which is very beneficial to the photographer because after careful observation he can predict the movements of the common redstart and then act accordingly. The methods I used are as follows:

1. Set up the camera close to the perch and close the aperture to get a guaranteed depth of field and with an infrared (cheap but less versatile in terms of distance) or Wi-Fi (expensive and versatile) remote control make sure you have control of the camera at a distance; then wait and once the bird has settled down shoot (in silent mode, or if particularly confident also with a mechanical shutter, but with a maximum of two shots every three seconds to avoid disturbing the bird). If you notice any discomfort from the subject towards the camera, move the camera away immediately.

2. Create a branch stand at least 1.50m high or use a tripod. Place the tree stand in an open field where the redstart has been spotted, away from higher perches, with a branch of your choice at a slightly higher height than thebranch stand. After a short time, the bird should settle on the raised branch and use it as a hunting perch, or to check the territory. It will give you the opportunity to take very interesting photos, especially if, after flying over the ground, it returns holding prey in its beak.

Common Redstart's feathers

My preferred method is definitely the second one, because it avoids possible disturbances and the result is definitely of a higher quality than the first method. Above is a photograph obtained by putting into practice the first method of the two that I have tried and successfully completed.