Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)
I have noticed this bird species more often lately. The bird is a bit smaller than the house sparrow and is not very noticeable because of its black-grey plumage. However, if you look closely, you can easily recognize it by its rusty red tail.
I think this color combination is beautiful and so I had to capture it in a watercolor painting:
The original habitat of these birds are rock walls and scree slopes, especially in the high mountains. More and more often, however, they can be found in well-populated areas such as large cities. The redstart is an early riser and can be heard singing an hour before sunrise.
The birds spend the winter in the Mediterranean and return to Switzerland in March where they stay until October.
Redstarts feed on insects and spiders, which are abundant in the mountains and settlements. This unpretentious bird species therefore copes well even with the progressive expansion of the settlement area in Switzerland and is not considered a endangered species.
The above described appearance of black-grey plumage with rust-red tail applies to males from several years of age. One-year-old males as well as the females have a smoky gray plumage.
When I was walking in the Merian Gärten this weekend, I noticed one of these Black Redstarts. It had settled in a stone wall at the exit of a pipe. From the loud chirping in the pipe, it was clear that there was a bird's nest with young birds inside.
I captured this observation in my sketchbook:
By the way, in the canton of Bern the redstart is considered a lucky charm. It is easy to agree to this meaning, don't you think?
Have you already noticed the redstarts in your neighborhood? Have you been able to find a breeding site?