A charming bird that can easily identified by its reddish flanks and creamy stripe above its eye, making it stand out among its peers in the thrush family. This bird is not very large, roughly the size of a song thrush, but its striking appearance and melodious song make it quite special. It has a brown back and a white underbelly, speckled with dark brown, and its most notable feature is the deep red color under its wings, which is visible when it flies or when it’s perched in a certain way.
Redwings migrate to the UK and other parts of Europe from Iceland and Scandinavia to spend the winter. This journey is quite remarkable because it shows the bird’s resilience and ability to travel long distances annually. During the winter, they can be spotted in gardens, parks, and fields, often joining flocks with other thrushes like fieldfares. They are quite social during this season, which is a delightful sight for bird watchers.
One of the fascinating aspects of the redwing is its diet. It primarily feeds on insects and worms during the breeding season but switches to fruit and berries in the autumn and winter, adapting to the available resources. This diet change also makes them important for the ecosystem as they help in seed dispersal for various plants and trees.
The redwing has a beautiful, flute-like song, which is often heard during the breeding season when males are trying to attract a mate or defend their territory. Their song adds a melodious backdrop to spring mornings in their breeding grounds. Besides their song, their call is a distinctive ‘tseep’, which makes it easier to recognize them even without seeing them.
Distribution
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia And Herz.
Bulgaria
Canada
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Egypt
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Hungary
Iceland
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lebanon
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Montenegro
Morocco
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey
UAE
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
UzbekistanAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
