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09 February 2017

Black Redstart at Deffi Park - Jubail

Whilst birding Deffi Park in recent weeks it has become obvious a female Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros is wintering in the park. The bird can be seen on every visit feeding around on the ground under the trees. Black Redstart is an uncommon migrant and winter visitor to most areas of Saudi Arabia. They are more common winter in the mountainous Hejaz and Asir regions than elsewhere with most records referring to Eastern Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides. As the bird is a female it is very difficult to assign to race but is an interesting bird to see and study. In Riyadh they are an uncommon migrant and winter visitor, passing between March and April, then again October and November. Winter visitors encountered mainly December to February, usually in ones and twos only. Both nominate and P. o. phoenicuroides occur. In the Eastern Province it is a scarce but widely distributed winter visitor from October to March where they are normally seen in well vegetated places such as parks and gardens. Females are less common that males.
Black Redstart