Common Redstart is a small bird belongs to the family of sparrows. Considered the most beautiful city bird, and it can produce very nice sounds. Back birds grey, and the sides and red belly, the bird’s tail has very bright plumage of red color like fire, hence the name bird.
On average, the size of the Eurasian Redstart is about 10 centimeters. The mass of birds is quite small, averaging only 20 grams. The wingspan of a Redstart average size is about 25 centimeters. Female birds typically have darker coloration than males.
This species of bird has its own peculiarity, which makes them easy to distinguish from other members – Redstart pulling his tail several times and then freezes.
Habitat
- Members of this family are mainly distributed in North Africa and in Europe. In Russia they can be found throughout the European part, but also there were cases when they were met on the TRANS-Baikal and Yakutia.
- Redstart likes to dwell primarily in coniferous forests, and she specifically picks out the most comfortable forest lodges and not all in a row. The Redstart has its own peculiarity – it will never settle near members of their own species. As if the birds settle nearby, the males will constantly fight among themselves until one of them won’t move.
- Redstarts do not make their nests, most of the birds settle in the hollow of a tree. And also love to live in city parks, which occupy manmade birdhouses.
Lifestyle and what to eat
Representatives of this species of birds in its habitat are usually in mid-spring. The first place always flying experienced males, and after they arrive females and young males. For the top males are fighting among themselves. Taking place the females start building the nest. After that, the males guarding the captured place and await the arrival of their females.
Upon arrival, females begin to build a nest and lay in them in about six eggs, and then hatch them. After about a couple of weeks begin to receive the Chicks. Next month after hatching, the Chicks parents bring them food.
To feed themselves, Redstarts use in food of insects and small spiders, which you can find on the ground or the trees. But sometimes they manage to catch an insect in the air. After catching their prey, Redstart put them in a safe place, usually their nest. So that the insect can not escape from them, they stun them or tear off their limbs.
In addition to insects, Redstart can also eat various berries and fruits.
Once Redstarts are unable to feed themselves and their offspring, then they have to fly to Africa. The birds fly mostly at night.
Reproduction
Courtship in birds is as follows: the male and the female sit together on a tree branch. The male begins to reach out to its female, while starting to pull their wings up and make different sounds. If the female likes her boyfriend, she flies with him and they become family. But if she didn’t like the male or the nest, which she chose, she immediately leaves him.
Chicks have Redstarts usually appear in late spring. Babies are born blind and deaf. Sustenance of a family involved in personally, the male, as a female guarding her Chicks.
Males often have several families, and he is forced to feed them all. Although he does it with every family, someone flies often, and someone forgot to fly.
Chicks start trying to get out of the nest after a couple of weeks, and after about a month, they already make its first flight. When the Chicks begin to fly, they are themselves beginning to seek food.
As soon as a couple of birds produces all their Chicks into the wild, they immediately begin to make new, and so throughout his life. By the way, the life expectancy of the average Redstarts is ten years.
Relationships with people
These birds love to lay their eggs in the existing nests. So, if the garden is a place for their habitat, they are happy to live there. For people, these neighbors will greatly benefit, as they will help them get rid of various harmful insects. Such representatives of the species usually called Redstart garden.
Interesting facts
- Common Redstarts have a very beautiful voice, which sing throughout the whole day.
- This bird species acts only in the daytime, although long flights prefer to make in the dark.
- If the bird is living in captivity, it often injure themselves, so they tie up the wings for the first time. In captivity the life expectancy of the birds is longer than in the wild.
- According to the results 2015 have been declared bird of the year in Russia.
- There are cases where the Redstart is attacking his own reflection.
- Cuckoos like to lay their eggs in the nests of Redstart, and they, in turn, care for their Chicks as their own.
- Representatives Redstarts are called individuals, as they prefer to live alone and away from the other dragons.
- Redstarts do not like to be a long time under the sun, but also don’t like the rain.
