• The black redstart is the only species of Western Palaearctic that inhabits all geographic zones, from sea level to alpine meadows, but not above the snow line. It has adapted to life in both dry and wet climates in mountains and populated areas.

The black redstart occupies habitats at elevations up to 3.5 kilometers; the species lives on land and in terrestrial forests. Common redstarts inhabit temperate mixed forests, which have warm summers with many oak, birch, and maple trees, as well as flooded meadows where water frequently covers the ground and there is abundant grass. The climate varies, including cool summers with temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, very hot summers exceeding 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, consistently wet conditions with nearly constant rain and high humidity, many rains and a cool summer with snow in winter, and warm, pleasant summers with abundant rainfall.