Redwing
Redwing
Turdus iliacus
At a Glance
Inhabiting open woods and fields across Europe and northern Asia, this medium-sized thrush occurs regularly as close to our area as Iceland. Contrary to what its name might suggest, the red in its wing is only on the underside; on the perched bird, it shows up only as a rust color along the flanks. The Redwing has strayed to northeastern North America several times, mostly in winter.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets
Behavior
Direct Flight
Range & Identification
Description
8-10" (20-24 cm). Shaped like American Robin, but smaller. Brown above, white below, with dark streaks on chest, white eyebrow. Reddish orange on sides, flanks, and underwing coverts, most obvious in flight.
Size
About the size of a Robin
Wing Shape
Pointed
Tail Shape
Notched, Rounded, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Song is a descending warble composed of simple notes, with many different dialects. Wide variety of calls from a buzzy “dsssi” to chip notes.
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