The black redstart is a nationally rare species and London supports a significant number of breeding pairs.

Appearance and behaviour  The black redstart is a small robin-sized bird that has adapted to live at the heart of industrial and urban centres. Its name comes from the plumage of the male, which is grey-black in colour with a red tail.

Wild facts  The black redstart used to be common in London - it's a bird that likes broken ground and hard, stony surfaces and it flourished after World War II on bomb sites. But the bomb sites have gone and so has the black redstart: it's now extremely rare. Ecologists believe a few pairs have made the future Olympic site their home.

Conservation issues  With less than 100 pairs nesting in Britain the black redstart is a rarer British breeding bird than the osprey or golden eagle. London is one of the UK's most important locations for this species - their population in the capital makes up between 10 and 30% of the national breeding population. The species is now under threat from the planned regeneration of much of its breeding ground - the Thames corridor. The species is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). It is listed as a priority species for the London Biodiversity Action Plan, as a bird of Conservation Concern, and a Red Data Book species.

Where to see them  The black redstart population is concentrated along the Thames east of Tower Bridge and in the Lea Valley. The London Boroughs of Enfield, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Greenwich hold the greatest number of breeding pairs. Other sites such as Battersea Power Station in Wandsworth and King’s Cross are both historically important and still hold breeding pairs.

In your patch  Find out if the black redstart has been spotted in your area with the fantastic WIMBY tool, run by GiGL – Greenspace Information for Greater London.

Spotted  Have you seen a black redstart in London? Let us know!  Register with GiGL and tell us about the species you’ve spotted in the capital.