Redstart

89 secs / 262 kb / MP3

This pretty bird has been popping up in our garden regularly once, but we haven't seen it the last five years or so. The best way to see it was to go to our neighbours garden, where the birds made a nest a few times. Especially the male loves to sing and he does so on a very striking place: on the top of my neighbour's flagpole!

This bird belongs to the family of Thrushes (Turdidae). It is very rare in our garden and can be seen in Holland april - october. The bird is 5,5" and weighs 15 grams. It lives in woodlands, gardens and parks mostly. It eats insects and spiders. Compared to the male, the female is brownish with almost no red. The breeding period is very extensive: from April until October. The nest is situated in holes in trees and five to six eggs are deposited. The birds sit on these for 12 to 15 days. In only 13 days the young are ready to depart the nest.

Name of this bird in various other languages
Dutch	German	French	Polish	Scientific
Gekraagde Roodstaart	Gartenrotschwanz	Rouge-queue à front blanc	Pleszka (rudogon)	Phoenicurus phoenicurus