Redwing

The redwing (Turdus iliacus) is most likely to be seen in the United Kingdom as a winter visitor, with only a very few breeding pairs being encountered, these being in the far north of Scotland. It normally breeds in Iceland and Scandinavia, or mountainous areas of central Europe.

  

It is a member of the thrush family, being the smallest true thrush seen in the UK.

The redwing is on the red list of birds in danger of extinction in the UK. This is due to the very small number of breeding pairs that are currently recorded.

Appearance

The redwing measures some 21 centimetres (8.25 inches) in length. Its plumage, which is similar as between males and females, resembles that of the song thrush, with brown upperparts and much lighter, speckled, chest and underparts. However, the redwing’s most obvious distinguishing feature, from which it gets its name, is the prominent red flash on the flanks and underwings which is most noticeable in flight. It also has a clear creamy stripe running across the eye from the bill nearly to the back of the head.

Behaviour

Migrant redwings arrive in the UK between September and November and leave again in March or April for their breeding grounds. They can form large flocks, often accompanied by fieldfares, in open countryside where they can be seen in hedgerows and orchards as well as open fields. They can also be seen in beech and mountain ash woods where they feed on rowan berries.

The redwing has a voice that is not as musical as that of the song thrush but it can be more penetrating, consisting of up to six repeated notes ending in a reedy warble.

Breeding

Redwings breed in birch woods or coniferous forests, building their nests about three metres above the ground. In tundra regions, where trees are scarce, they may even nest on the ground. The nest is built from dry twigs, roots, stalks and mud, plastered with mud on the inside. Four to six eggs are laid, with both birds incubating them in turn for up to 15 days.

The young are fed mainly on insects and larvae for up to 14 days in the nest, and for another three weeks after they fledge. Adult food consists mainly of worms and berries, plus snails, slugs and insects.

A second brood is often raised, the breeding season running from May to July. After all the young birds have fledged, the redwings gather in flocks before the winter migration begins.

© John Welford