These little thrush like birds really are a delight with their red underwings and flanks. In fact the redwing does really resemble a thrush - but it is easily distinguished by its striking head pattern and of course by the streak of brownish red under the wing.

Although there are a few redwings that do breed in Scotland - many arrive in the Western Isles from Iceland - to spend the winter here.

This bird has warm brown upperparts and white underparts, heavily marked with black spots. The redwing has a white stripe above the eye extending from the bill to the back of the head. The redwing has chestnut red patches on the flank. It has a pale bill with a black tip and flesh coloured legs. Both the sexes look similar.

Length - 20 - 21 cm - Weight 65g

These birds like shrubbery, hedgerows, fields and best of all conifers.

These birds the redwings in The Western Isles eat worms,snails, insects and berries..

Warbling song has repetitive , short descending phrases. Their call a high thin 'see-ip' can often be heard in an early evening as flocks pass overhead.

Male redwings have a very distinctive curious singing quirk. Each individual sings just one phrase, repeated again and again. Males in the same area share the same song.

Breeding between May and July - there are 5- 6eggs. The eggs are blue - speckled with brown. Incubation is 12 - 14 days. The young birds fledge at 8-12 days. There may be 2 broods a year. The redwing nests in trees and bushes, sometimes on the ground.

The redwings live a nomadic lifestyle - moving across the countryside in flocks - looking for food in hedgerows and damp field corners - however unlike the similar fieldfares - the redwings do enter woods to search for invertebrates and leaf-litter.