Redwing
The Redwing is a member of the thrush family, slightly smaller than the related Song Thrush.
The English name for the Redwing derives from the bird's red underwing. The sexes are similar with plain brown backs and with dark brown spots on the white underparts. The most striking identification features are the red flanks and underwing and the creamy white stripe above the eye. The male has a varied short song, and a whistling flight call.
The Redwing breeds in conifer and birch forest and tundra in the northern Europe from Iceland south to northern Scotland, east through Scandinavia, the Baltic States, northern Poland and Belarus and through most of Russia. In recent years it has expanded its range slightly, both in eastern Europe, where it now breeds south into northern Ukraine, and in southern Greenland.
The Redwing is migratory and winters in western, central and southern Europe, north west Africa and south west Asia east to northern Iran. Birds in some parts of the west of the breeding range (particularly south western Norway) may be resident and not migrate at all while those in the far east of the range migrate at least 4000 miles to reach their wintering grounds. Migrating and wintering birds often form loose flocks of 10 to 200 or more birds, often feeding together with Fieldfares, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes and Ring Ousels. Unlike the Song Thrush, the more nomadic Redwing does not tend to return regularly to the same wintering areas.
Date: 3rd June 2015
Location: Lake Mývatn, north east Iceland
The English name for the Redwing derives from the bird's red underwing. The sexes are similar with plain brown backs and with dark brown spots on the white underparts. The most striking identification features are the red flanks and underwing and the creamy white stripe above the eye. The male has a varied short song, and a whistling flight call.
The Redwing breeds in conifer and birch forest and tundra in the northern Europe from Iceland south to northern Scotland, east through Scandinavia, the Baltic States, northern Poland and Belarus and through most of Russia. In recent years it has expanded its range slightly, both in eastern Europe, where it now breeds south into northern Ukraine, and in southern Greenland.
The Redwing is migratory and winters in western, central and southern Europe, north west Africa and south west Asia east to northern Iran. Birds in some parts of the west of the breeding range (particularly south western Norway) may be resident and not migrate at all while those in the far east of the range migrate at least 4000 miles to reach their wintering grounds. Migrating and wintering birds often form loose flocks of 10 to 200 or more birds, often feeding together with Fieldfares, Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Song Thrushes and Ring Ousels. Unlike the Song Thrush, the more nomadic Redwing does not tend to return regularly to the same wintering areas.
Date: 3rd June 2015
Location: Lake Mývatn, north east Iceland
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Also in: North east Iceland
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