BirdLife Finland, Finnish National Rarities Committee

A Redstart, Phoenicurus at Porvoo, Finland

(probable hybrid Black Redstart X Common Redstart, ochruros X phoenicurus)

compiled by Antero Lindholm


Introduction


Pictures

The following pictures 1-4 (c) Visa Rauste


Picture 1.


Picture 2.


Picture 3.


Picture 4.


The following pictures 5-8 (c) Arto Juvonen


Picture 5.


Picture 6.


Picture 7.


Picture 8.


Song recording

Listen song, 235 kb, wav-format,

Finland, Porvoo 25.04.2001, copyright (c) Antero Lindholm


Measurements

Measured by H.Jännes and some literature data (comparison with Ph.o.gibraltariensis, Ph.o.phoenicuroides and Ph. phoenicurus), primaries numbered outwards:


    gibraltariensis phoenicuroides phoenicurus
Wing (max)  89 79-90 (1)   80-85 (2)  77-84 (2)
Bill (to skull) 15,6 13.6-17.0 (1)  14.2-16.6 (2)  13.6-15.9 (2) 
Tarsus (Svenssons "standard technique"(3)) 21,4  22.2-24.6 (1)  22.9-25.0 (2)  20.5-23.2 (2)
P10 > hand-cov. 5 4-11 (2)   2-8 (2)
Distance from the tip of wing:        
P9 8 8-13 (2)   5-10 (2)
P8 0 0-2.5 (2)   0-1 (2)
P7 0 0 (2)   0-1 (2)
P6 1 0-1 (2)   1-3 (2)
P5 5.5 2-4 (2)   5-10 (2)
P4 11 8-12 (2)   10-14 (2)
P3 14 11-16 (2)     
P2 17      
P1 20 16-21 (2) 13-20 (2) 17-22 (2)
S1 23      
Length of primary emarginations:        
P8 32.5 32 (1, av.)   present
P7 24 25 (1, av.)   present
P6 19  21 (1, av.)   present
P5 12 16 (1, av.)    absent


Discussion

The bird closely resembles the phoenicuroides subspecies of Black Redstart but because of pale mantle colour, distinct white wing-patch and long wing, is most likely a hybrid between Black Redstart and Common Redstart. Perhaps the song, quite extensive pale patch on belly and vent also point in that direction. The emarginations and wing-formula are much like Black Redstart but P8 is longer than found in most of the those (1). The bird cannot be samamisicus Common Redstart because of wing-formula, extensive black throat-patch, indistinctiviness of the white forehead patch and song. What was most likely the same bird was present at the same place in September 2000.

Author of this article: Antero Lindholm.

Any comments welcome to Visa Rauste (email: visa.rauste@helsinki.fi).


Literature

  1. Nicolai et al., Limicola 1/96
  2. BWP
  3. Svensson, Identification to European Passerines
  4. More about this bird: Lindholm A 2001: Apparent hybrid redstarts in Finland resembling Black Redstart of eastern subspecies phoenicuroides. British Birds 94 (11) 542-545


Back to Finnish National Rarities Committee