How to welcome the Black Redstart in London, England, United Kingdom

About the Black Redstart

The black redstart is a small passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family. It is a widespread breeder in rocky habitats across Eurasia and North Africa, from the British Isles south to Morocco and east to central China. It is resident in the milder parts of its range, but northern and eastern birds migrate.

Source: Wikipedia

Ecological traits of the Black Redstart

• Nesting : semi-open nest box nester.
• Preferred feeder food : ground feeder.

Matching nest box plan

For the Black Redstart, the reference plan from nichoirs.net is:

Recommended internal dimensions: 120 × 200 × 150 mm (width × height × depth).

Entrance hole diameter: 150×70 mm.

See the full plan on nichoirs.net

Installing and maintaining the nest box — Black Redstart

Installation

• Height : 1.5 m to 3 m
• Orientation : East or South-East, not exposed to dominant winds. The nest box should lean slightly forward.
• Support : Wall, securely fixed. Avoid nearby branches or ledges to prevent predator access.
• When to install : From autumn or early winter. At the latest in March or April.
• Precautions : Choose a quiet location. The nest box should not be exposed to direct sunlight all day, nor be in permanent shade, but partially shaded during hot hours. A distance of 200 m is recommended between two identical nest boxes for the White Wagtail but this distance is not documented for other species. No perch. Do not place any bedding (straw, moss) inside. Check for overwintering inhabitants before cleaning.

Annual cleaning

• Frequency : 1x/year
• Method : Empty accumulated materials, brush the bottom with a wire brush, use a blowtorch to destroy parasites. In case of heavy infestation, rinse with clear water, possibly with a little soda lye, then let it dry thoroughly.
• Products to avoid : Never use chemical products or disinfectants, nor insecticides or anti-flea treatments.
• When to install : Late September or early October (after the breeding season). If not done, possibly before the nesting period, in early spring, just before the birds start nesting (February).
• Precautions : Unhatched eggs can only be removed between September and January (or August and January in Scotland). Part of the nest box (roof, front or side) must be removable to facilitate cleaning. Wear gloves. Make sure it is not occupied by other species (bats, dormice, bees, wasps, hornets) before cleaning. Parasites may be present even in winter.

Sources: LPO, Natagora, Vogelbescherming, RSPB, NABU, nichoirs.net.

Three ways to help

• Install a nest box — Free species-tailored construction plans and video tutorials.
• Install a feeder — Choose the feeder and seeds based on the bird's feeding habits.
• Grow a natural pantry — Native local plants that sustainably feed this bird and biodiversity.

Other birds observed in London

• Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
• Eurasian Scops-Owl (Otus scops)
• Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
• Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
• Eurasian Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium passerinum)
• Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

Sources and credits

• Observation data: eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, ebird.org)
• Source: Wikipedia
• Plans and dimensions: nichoirs.net