American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) lives in wooded areas across North America. It feeds on insects and spiders. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the American Redstart
- Measuring just 11 to 14 cm long with a 16-23 cm wingspan, the American redstart is one of the lightest warblers. Males average 8.6 g in summer but drop to 7.2 g in winter, while females fall from 8.7 g to 6.9 g.
- Redstarts lay 2-5 eggs in a neat cup nest, with the female incubating them for 10-13 days; the chicks fledge after just 9 days and may stay with a parent for up to three weeks. First-year males keep a female-like plumage, which limits their breeding success to less than 50 % until they acquire adult colors in year 2, while most first-year females reproduce successfully. A skewed sex ratio leaves many males unmated, intensifying competition for territories.
- About a quarter of male redstarts hold multiple territories and become polygynous, yet up to 40 % of nestlings are sired by a male other than the social father. Brightness of the orange carotenoid plumage predicts a male's ability to secure high-quality winter habitats, become polygynous, and father more of his own offspring. This link between color and reproductive success shows how visual signals drive competition and gene flow across breeding and wintering grounds.
- Redstarts hunt insects by fly-catching and by flicking their bright orange-yellow tail to flush hidden prey, a behavior that startles insects from leaves. Their diet is dominated by caterpillars, moths, flies, leafhoppers, wasps, beetles, aphids, stoneflies and spiders, with occasional berries from barberry, serviceberry or magnolia. This flexible foraging in diverse habitats, from forest edges to shade-grown coffee plantations, by exploiting whatever insects are available at any time of day.
- In New Jersey's 64-acre Mettler's Woods old-growth forest, the American redstart, once a common sight, has become extirpated despite the area's protected status since 1955. Researchers tracking bird bands over four decades found that migratory, ground-nesting species like the redstart vanished as invasive plants and rising deer numbers thinned the forest floor. This loss highlights that small, legally protected patches may still fail to sustain vulnerable migrants without active habitat management.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeNorth America
HabitatWooded areas
DietInsects and spiders
About the American Redstart
In the dappled light of eastern North America's woodlands, the American Redstart flits with reckless abandon, its black plumage and orange patches flashing like embers as it darts between branches. With a flick of its tail, this diminutive songster navigates the intricate lattice of twigs and leaves, its very presence seeming to embody the restless energy of the forest. As it forages for insects with an insatiable hunger, the American Redstart's bold, whirling dance through the underbrush is a testament to the unbridled joy of being alive.
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