Photo: נצח פרביאש / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blackstart
Oenanthe melanura
Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
The Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 15.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Oenanthe
- Species melanura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blackstart is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Blackstart is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF Arabian Pen. through e, c, w Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.2 g, with a wing length of about 8.2 cm and a tail of around 6.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blackstart?
The Blackstart is a small bird that weighs around 15.2 g.
Where does the Blackstart live?
The Blackstart is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF Arabian Pen. through e, c, w Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Blackstart belong to?
The Blackstart (Oenanthe melanura) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blackstart eat?
The Blackstart is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Blackstart migrate?
The Blackstart is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blackstart endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Blackstart make?
1 real field recording of the Blackstart — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blackstart's range?
The Blackstart has a mapped global range of about 2.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.