Common Redstart Selected as Luxembourg’s Bird of the Year

On Wednesday 5 March 2025, Luxembourg nature conservation NGO natur&ëmwelt Asbl announced that the common redstart has been named the Bird of the Year 2025. 

Natur&ëmwelt described the common redstart  as being a brightly coloured, slender bird, slightly smaller than a house sparrow. Both males and females have a reddish-brown tail, but they are clearly distinguishable by their plumage. While the female and young have an ash-grey head and chest and a grey-brown back, the male has bright colours: a bright white forehead, a black throat, an orange-red chest, a brick-red tail and a blue-grey back.

The common redstart is described as a lively and agile bird, always on the move. It is characterised by its frequent tail trembling and head bobbing. At the first light of dawn, around an hour and a half before sunrise, it begins to sing. This tireless singer can also be heard at dusk.

Originally, the common redstart was an inhabitant of open forests and woodland edges. It is also found in parks and gardens rich in old trees. It is also present in well-maintained traditional orchards. Old fruit trees provide natural cavities, formed by falling branches, which serve as nesting sites for many birds. In addition, the abundant flowering of the trees attracts a multitude of insects, thus ensuring a sufficient food source while raising the young.

Natur&ëmwelt explained that the common redstart hunts from a high perch, where it scans the ground for food. It mainly catches larvae, caterpillars, butterflies, beetles and flies perched on blades of grass. It also pecks at spiders, ants and mowers on the ground and catches some insects in mid-flight. In times of insect shortage, it also feeds on berries.

The non-profit added that as early as April, the first males return from their winter quarters and look for a territory offering food and nesting sites, often the same as the previous year. Their song is used to mark their territory and attract a female. The common redstart generally has only one brood per year, with around five to seven eggs. During the breeding season, it is often seen near the nest with a beak full of food for its young. It begins its migratory journey south as early as September. This journey of 6,000 to 8,000 km, which lasts several days, is long and full of danger. Crossing the Sahara Desert, where water and food are scarce, represents a major challenge. In addition, the Mediterranean region poses an additional threat, as many birds are captured there.

To encourage the presence of the common redstart, natur&ëmwelt advised limiting intensive mowing of gardens. It explained that a lawn mown every week drastically reduces insect resources. However, overly dense vegetation quickly becomes unsuitable for this small bird. The ideal is to alternate between areas of short grass and higher areas, taking care never to mow the entire lawn at once.

Each year, the bird of the year is also honoured in schools. Pupils in cycles three and four of primary education receive an informative brochure from natur&ëmwelt. An educational file, including many fun activities, allows teachers to integrate the bird into their school curriculum.

In collaboration with Luxembourg's National Museum of Natural History (Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle - MNHN / natur musée), a poster for students has been produced. This initiative is supported by Luxembourg’s Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, as well as by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth. These materials are available in the Nature Shop in Kockelscheuer. The official sticker of the common redstart is also available in the Nature Shop or via: https://www.naturemweltasbl.lu/oiseau-de-lannee-2025/