#black redstart

Today birding was worth it because…

...I saw the silliest black redstart fledglings (4) getting fed outside of a building, and one of them all of a sudden went down the steps very quickly and started to beg to a sibling just to realise that wasn't mom. 😭

After realising the mistake – not sure if confused or embarrassed.

Black Redstart - Rabirruivo-preto (Phoenicurus ochruros): male

Cruz Quebrada/Portugal (20/07/2026)

Male Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)

Have you ever heard of the Black Redstart? They're little birds that live throughout Eurasia, and this specific one, a male Black Redstart, has come to trust me over the past couple days. To match their diminutive size, they have very cute habits, such as bobbing while they sing and hovering over the ground. Once largely confined to mountainous areas and cliffs, they're now a common bird in towns and parks, and are the sound of the summer. Their song, most commonly delivered in the early morning and evening, consists of a 'bell-rattle' oftentimes followed by a trill that almost seems as if they're struggling to produce.