American Redstart

The American Redstart’s latin name is Setophaga ruticilla. They live in North America, Central America, the West Indies, and northern South America. The American Redstart bird’s preferred habitat is river groves, mixed woodlands, roadside trees, stream banks, and ponds. They breed during the spring and summer. The American Redstart nest is a neat, cup-shaped creation that is built in the lower part of a bush. An American Redstart female will lay 2-5 eggs and incubate those eggs for 10-13 days. The young fledge after 9 days in the nest, and may remain with one parent for up to 3 weeks afterwards. They winter in the South.

The American Redstart’s population status is of least concern. They can be found at Coal Creek Farm from April to October. American Redstart food consists of mostly insects, seeds, and berries. The American Redstart song is a series of 2-11 thin, high-pitched notes, sometimes ending with an accented phrase. The building energy of the song and the abrupt, accented ending lead some people to describe the song as sneeze-like. The American Redstart is known as “the butterfly” of the bird world.