Redwings- Hebridean Birds
Western Isles Birds - Redwings - Hebridean Birds - Western Isles Birds. These birds - so pretty with their shiny red flanks and underwings - really are like thrushes.
Many of these birds arrive on the Islands in September or October. They may have come from Iceland and spend the winter here.
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.
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| Bird Overview - Redwings |
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| Description |
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.
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| Size |
| Length 20-21cm Weight 65g |
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| Habitat |
These birds like shrubbery, hedgerows, fields and best of all conifers.
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| Food |
These birds the redwings in The Western Isles eat worms,snails, insects and berries..
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| Voice |
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.
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| Breeding |
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.
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| Misc. Info |
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.
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