American Redstart

 

The American Redstart is a lively warbler that hops among tree branches in search of insects. The male American Redstart is coal-black with vivid orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail.

The redstart seems to startle its prey out of the foliage by flashing its strikingly patterned tail and wing feathers. Females and immature males have more subdued yellow “flash patterns” on a gray background.

These sweet-singing warblers nest in open woodlands across much of North America.

Cool Fact - The male American Redstart sometimes has two mates at the same time. While many other polygamous bird species involve two females nesting in the same territory, the redstart holds two separate territories that can be separated by a quarter-mile. The male begins attracting a second female after the first has completed her clutch and is incubating the eggs. Cornell All About Birds