American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Explore this bird

Identification

13 cm (5") Common in deciduous forest understory especially near water.

Male: glossy black head and body with radiant orange patches on sides, wings, and tail. White belly and undertail coverts.

Female: gray-olive upperparts. White below. Yellow patches on wings and tail.

An active flycatcher.

Often fans tail and spreads wings when perched.

Song: "zee zee zee zee zwee".

Watch and learn

1 video

American Redstart Portrait

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

1 rule

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yellow or golden stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Broad dark band across the tip · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall

result:24-american-redstart-female:1:1 Source: 24 American Redstart Female, row 1

1 rule

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 7

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
What colour were the WING STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Red or orange stripes or patches · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · Broad dark band across the tip · Unknown
Was the RUMP or LOWER BACK light ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white)
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Warbler-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall

result:23-american-redstart-male:1:1 Source: 23 American Redstart Male, row 1