A small flashy warbler — adult males black with orange wing and tail patches; "American restart" if you mishear. Males fan their tails to startle insects from foliage.

Also called: Candelita (Spanish — "little candle flame")

Native status: Native; widespread

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 11–13 cm (4.3–5.1 in); wingspan 16–19 cm
Weight6–9 g
LifespanWild typically 5+ years; oldest documented 10
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyParulidae

§ Encyclopedia

The American redstart is a New World warbler. It is unrelated to the Old World (common) redstart.

Source: Wikipedia — American redstart Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Small warbler. Adult males: glossy black with brilliant orange patches on wings, tail, and sides. Females and immature males: olive-gray above, white below, with yellow (not orange) patches in the same locations.

Similar species. Painted Redstart (different range, white wing patches). No other US warbler has the redstart's tail-flashing pattern.

Voice. Variable two- and three-syllable sweet song; sharp "chip" call.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects (caterpillars, leafhoppers, flies, small beetles), occasional berries in fall.

Behavior. Among the most active warblers — constantly flits, fans tail, and droops wings to startle insect prey into flight. Adult males don't acquire full black-and-orange plumage until their second breeding season; first-year males look like females and can still attract mates ("delayed plumage maturation"). Long-distance migrant to Central America and northern South America.

§ Range

Across eastern + central North America in summer; winters Caribbean + Central/South America

§ Habitat

Young deciduous and mixed forests, especially riparian

§ Threats

Forest succession (loss of young early-successional habitat), tropical deforestation, pesticide-driven insect declines.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the american redstart is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Allow patches of woodland to grow back from clearcuts. Support tropical reforestation. Skip pesticides.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Cornell Lab — All About Birds
  • National Audubon Society
  • American Bird Conservancy
  • IUCN Red List 2018