American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

Identification & Behavior: ~13 cm (5.1 in). The male American Redstart is mostly black with orange on the sides of the breast, wings, and tail. The underparts are white. The female is mostly greenish-gray with yellow on the side of the breast, wings, and tail. The immature male has an intermediate blotched black and gray plumage.

Status: The American Redstart is a rare Boreal migrant on the west and east slope of the northern Andes during the months of October through April. Scattered records come from lowland Amazonia and coastal lowlands west of the Andes. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Candelita Americana.

Sub-species: American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), Linnaeus, 1758.

Meaning of Name: Setophaga: Gr. ses, setos= moth and phagos, phagein= eating, to eat. ruticilla: L. ruticilla, rutilus= red and cilla= tail.

See more of the Family Parulidae