A hybrid Common Redstart x Black Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus x P. ochruros) breeding in southeastern Sweden

Anncharlotte Petersson,Mats Thorin,Adam Bergner

doi:10.34080/os.v24.22566

Abstract

Breeding Redstart hybrids occur regularly and have been described from central but not from northern Europe. Many of the hybrids exhibit plumages resembling those of eastern subspecies of Black Redstart, making it difficult to assess the identity of certain birds. We present information on a well-documented breeding by a hybrid male Common Redstart × Black Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus × P. ochruros), successfully rearing offspring together with Common Redstart females at an industrial estate in southeastern Sweden (57°49'16"N; 15°16'52"E) in the summers of 2009–2012. During its first summer at the location, the bird was captured and ringed, representing the second Redstart hybrid ever to be ringed in Sweden. With vocals like Black Redstart, the bird had a plumage highly similar to that of individuals belonging to the subspecies phoenicuroides in central Asia. Examined in hand, the bird exhibited some plumage characters and morphological traits consistent with details previously presented for Redstart hybrids in Europe. We confirm previous assumptions that Redstart hybrids can be separated from similarly looking eastern subspecies of Black Redstarts by means of differences in wing formulae.

Highlights

Hybridization between the two redstart species Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus and Black Redstart P. ochruros occurs regularly (Grosch 2003, Ertan 2006), and successful breedings between hybrids and their non-hybrid partners have been studied and described in urban environments across Central Europe
F1-hybrids and backcrosses sometimes strongly resemble a few subspecies of P. ochruros distributed in Asia and the Middle East, semirufus, ochruros, rufiventris and phoenicuroides (Cramp 1988, Svensson et al 2009)
Most other birds occurring in Sweden were thoroughly documented with good photos, and due to their relative resemblance in plumage they were all considered as being pure Black Redstarts of eastern or south-eastern origin, from either of the subspecies phoenicuroides/

Summary

Introduction

Hybridization between the two redstart species Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus and Black Redstart P. ochruros occurs regularly (Grosch 2003, Ertan 2006), and successful breedings between hybrids and their non-hybrid partners have been studied and described in urban environments across Central Europe (see Landmann 1987, Blattner & Kestenholz 1993, Lambert 1997, Nowak 1999, Grosch 2004, Zedler 2004, Forschler 2006). Most other birds occurring in Sweden were thoroughly documented with good photos, and due to their relative resemblance in plumage they were all considered as being pure Black Redstarts of eastern or south-eastern origin, from either of the subspecies phoenicuroides/ Nicolai et al (1996) claimed that hybrids and eastern subspecies of Black Redstarts are inseparable by means of plumage traits alone.

Results

Conclusion