Let’s begin the year with this flitty little Warbler, the American Redstart. It’s name can seem a little confusing, so we will start there!  

The Old English word for “tail” is “start”, and that tail flitting is certainly what gets your attention. They don’t look like they have any red at all, but on a good day, the red-orange is recognizable in our South Texas sun!  The female’s coloring is different and her highlights are all yellow.

 

They love to flit around ponds and wooded areas on their migration thru the valley. The American Redstarts we have seen love to take dip in the pond, wash off and then dash off for another leg of their trip south. Sometimes they will eat from the suet feeder, but they also are known to eat a variety of bugs. Unfortunately, last we checked, their population is in decline.

So, keep your eyes peeled for the flit-flit of orange in your neighborhood during the fall and spring migrations!