Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
Pronounced (approx.): seh-TOF-uh-guh roo-tih-SIL-uh
Black above with vivid orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail, plus a white belly. Explore the photographs, learn its field marks, and discover where to look.
View all 2 photographs ↗How to recognize it
Three identification clues
Adult male
Black above with vivid orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail, plus a white belly. [1]
Females and young males
Gray-headed and olive-backed, with yellow patches replacing the male’s orange. Young males may show scattered black feathers. [1]
Watch the tail
The relatively long tail is repeatedly spread and closed, flashing its bright patches. [1]
Field tip: Note the bird’s shape and behavior first, then check its markings. Age, season, and lighting can change its appearance.
Where and when to look
Finding American Redstart
Watch moving leaves and quick sallies at middle levels in deciduous woods. Migrants also turn up in many wooded parks and edges. [1] [2]
Use the range map above for seasonal context and the sightings link below to explore local records.
Listen for it
Learn the songs and calls
Compare Cornell’s recordings with what you hear outdoors. Listen for the rhythm and quality of each sound, then try to locate the bird visually.
Listen to songs and calls at Cornell ↗Compare the details
Common look-alikes
Female redstarts can seem unlike the black-and-orange males. Focus on patch placement and repeated tail-fanning before assuming you have two species.
See similar species and comparison photographs ↗Look closer
Field Photographs
Photographs © Where’s Wildlife. Select any image to explore all 2 photographs.
Life history
How this bird lives
Habitat and nesting
Redstarts take insects from leaves and branches and catch others in flight. The female builds a small, well-concealed cup. Both parents feed nestlings, and they may divide care of the fledglings between them. [2]
Food and foraging
Mostly insects; some small fruits. [2]
Watch where the bird searches for food and how it moves. Feeding behavior can be a useful clue alongside plumage.
Did you know?
A closer look at American Redstart
Range & Sightings
See where people are finding this bird
Explore community observations, photographs, and locations on iNaturalist. Zoom to your area and use date filters to investigate seasonal sightings.
View iNaturalist Sightings ↗Reported sightings are not a complete range map. An area without records does not necessarily mean the species is absent.
Keep Learning
Bring the clues together
Choose a photograph above and describe three things you notice before looking at the identification cards. On your next walk, compare those clues with the bird’s habitat and behavior.
Sources & Further Reading
Numbered references support the identification details and natural-history information above. Cornell links open All About Birds, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Previous and next birds follow common-name alphabetical order.