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    American redstart

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    One of the most admired warblers across the continent

    Wendy Miller








      Saved In:


    American redstart

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE

    One of the most admired warblers across the continent

    Population 42 Million
    6% increase over the past ten years

    One of North America’s most vibrant and energetic songbirds, often called the “butterfly of the bird world” for its bright colors and fluttering, graceful movements. Belonging to the genus Setophaga within the New World warbler family (Parulidae), this small bird dazzles with its fiery plumage, acrobatic flight, and musical song. It can be found across much of North America during the breeding season, from Canada and the northern United States to as far south as the Caribbean and Central America during migration and winter.

    Physically, the American Redstart is a striking bird that’s easy to recognize once seen. The adult male wears a dramatic combination of jet-black feathers with bright orange patches on its sides, wings, and tail, along with a white belly—a bold contrast that flashes brilliantly when it moves. Females and immature males, however, are subtler, featuring gray or olive upperparts with yellow patches instead of orange. This sexual dimorphism makes the male especially eye-catching during breeding displays. The bird’s name, “redstart,” comes from an Old English word meaning “red tail,” a fitting description since its tail is one of its most distinctive features.

    Behaviorally, the American Redstart is a restless, agile hunter of insects. It uses a unique foraging method known as “flush-pursuit feeding”—flicking and fanning its brightly colored tail and wings to startle hidden insects from foliage, then darting out to catch them midair. This hunting style is so effective that the bird spends nearly all its waking hours in motion, constantly hopping, flicking, and fluttering through the forest canopy. Its diet mainly consists of flies, moths, caterpillars, beetles, and small insects, though it will also sip nectar or eat small berries during migration when insects are scarce.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Antigua & Barbuda
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Aruba
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Bahamas
    2020
    Barbados
    2020
    Belize
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Bermuda
    2020
    Bonaire Sint Eustatius And Saba
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Brazil
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    British Virgin Is.
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Canada
    2020
    Breeding
    Cayman Islands
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Chile
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Colombia
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Costa Rica
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Cuba
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Dominica
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Dominican Republic
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Ecuador
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    El Salvador
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    France
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    French Guiana
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    French Polynesia
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Greenland
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Grenada
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Guadeloupe
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Guatemala
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Guyana
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Haiti
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Honduras
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Ireland
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Jamaica
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Martinique
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Mexico
    2020
    Montserrat
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Nicaragua
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Panama
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Peru
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Portugal
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Puerto Rico
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Saint Barthélemy
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Saint Lucia
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Saint Martin
    2020
    Non-Breeding: French Part
    Saint Pierre
    2020
    Breeding
    Saint Vincent
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Sint Maarten
    2020
    Non-Breeding: Dutch Part
    St. Kitts & Nevis
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Suriname
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Trinidad & Tobago
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Turks & Caicos
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    US Minor Is.
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    US Virgin Islands
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    United Kingdom
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    United States
    2020
    Venezuela
    2020
    Non-Breeding

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Least Concern(IUCN)
    World Population 42 Million

    6% increase over the past ten years


    Honorary Patron: BioDB
    Become a Patron

    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Setophaga ruticilla

    Physical traits

    Length: 11 – 14 cm (4 – 6 in) Weight Male: 9 g (0.30 oz) Weight Female: 7 g (0.24 oz) Lifespan: 5 – 10 years Wingspan: 16 – 23 cm (6 – 9 in) Incubation: 10 – 13 days Eggs: 2 – 5 eggs
    Habitats: Urban Forest Shrubland
    Regions: Europe North America Oceania South America
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