Female American Redstarts (Male vs Female Identification)

American redtail fish (Clematis) are melodious woodland birds that are found along most of the migratory pathways in the United States. Males are bold black and orange, while females are less conspicuous gray and yellowish. But are their plumage the only thing that distinguishes female American redstarts from males? Let’s take a look at their behavior and nesting habits to find out.

The female American redstart, a medium-sized member of the warbler family, is an active woodland bird known for its acrobatics and displays as it forages among tree branches for insects. Females are gray, white, and yellow, unlike the more distinctive black and orange males.

Male American redstarts are vocal birds that sing a variety of high-pitched variable songs. Females, by contrast, are quieter, but can be heard calling during courtship or when threatened by their territory.

In the wild, females and first-year males look similar from a distance, with the same gray and yellow hues, while young males don’t develop full adult glossy black plumage until their second year.

Other noticeable behaviors will also help you spot the differences between male and female American redstarts, so read on if you’re interested in learning more.

American Redstart (female), perched on a branch

How do you know if an American redstart is male or female?

Adult male and female American rebootbirds differ in appearance and are clearly marked, making them relatively easy to distinguish from each other and from other similar birds.

Male American redstarts are mostly black with orange patches on the wings and tail. Females have similar markings, but they are a softer shade of light gray and yellowish in comparison.

First-year males are similar in color to females, and don’t develop their rich black and orange plumage until their second year.

female american redstart

Male American redstart

What does a female American Redstart look like?

Female American redstarts are medium-sized warblers with a long tail that is often flapped and fanned while foraging.

In contrast to the striking black and orange plumage on the males of the species, the females are predominantly gray, yellow and white. They have pale gray faces with whitish chins, throats, chests and lower parts.

The upper body and tail of the female American redstart are olive-green gray with distinct yellowish patches on the wings, flanks, and tail. Their bills are broad and flat and gray in color, and their legs are dark gray-brown.

Close-up of a perched female American redstart

size difference

Male and female American redstarts are roughly the same size, ranging from 11 cm to 13 cm (4.3 inches to 5.1 inches) in length.

Typical body weights for this species range from 6 to 9 grams (0.2 oz to 0.3 oz), with females being recorded to be slightly heavier than males during the breeding season and males to be a few milligrams heavier than females during winter.

A pair of American Redstarts nesting

behavioral difference

Females tend to arrive at the breeding grounds after the males, and pairs form within a day or two of their arrival. Females advertise their availability by visiting the territory of potential males, and often pair with the first male they approach.

Females display their colorful tail patches when being chased by males, and instead of appearing aggressive or leaving territory, females will circle the male back to a nearby spot.

Male American redstarts are considered more territorial than females and display high levels of aggression when securing breeding territory.

Male polygamy is also common, and once his primary mate is incubating her eggs, the male maintains a secondary territory with a new mate in a different location. This behavior can lead to an overabundance of young, unmated males, as older males, even when paired, will preferentially mate with available females.

Close up of a female American Redstart

call and sing

Male redstarts are known for their repertoire of as many as 11 different high-pitched songs. It is rare to hear women singing, and the voice is weak when singing, and the meaning is not clear.

Female redstarts do call in certain situations, including courtship (a harsh “chip‘ sound) and protect nests threatened by humans or other potential predators when the high pitched ‘Titi‘Voices can be heard.

Male American Redstarts are the most vocal

nesting and feeding

American redstarts visit potential nesting sites in pairs, with the male showing the female around his territory and the female examining different options before choosing her favorite.

The female is solely responsible for building the nest, which can take up to seven days.

Once complete, egg laying begins, with the female incubating the eggs alone. Males occasionally bring food to the nest for their mates, a behavior more common in colder regions. Females generally do not leave eggs unattended for more than 10 minutes at a time.

After the chicks hatch, the male and female jointly care for the chicks, with feeding duties divided relatively evenly between the two. Once the chicks have developed their wings, American redstarts typically divide their offspring into two distinct groups, with each group responsible for protecting and feeding their designated “half.”

Male and female redstarts eat the same diet, with insects at the core. Some evidence suggests that females forage at lower elevations than males, looking for prey on the foliage surrounding their nests. Males have been observed to catch more flies and other insects in the air.

Female American redstart singing

Birds similar to the female American redstart

With their gray and yellow plumage, a female American red-tailed warbler can be easily confused with several other warblers of similar size, including the magnolia, Virginia and yellow-rumped warbler. The magnolia warbler has a yellow belly and underparts that contrast with the white plumage of the American redstart.

The female Virginia warbler has a gray head similar to the female American red-tailed warbler, but with a white eye ring. They also don’t have the yellow wing and tail patches seen on American reboot females, and they have some yellow on their breasts.

Although female yellow-rumped warblers have similar yellow patches on their sides, they can be distinguished from female American red-tailed warblers by their yellow rump and yellow patch on their throat.

Women in America Redstart Close

common problem

Can Female American Redstarts Raise Children Alone?

Although female redstarts hatch alone, the males take on the role of feeding the chicks both before and after hatching. If her mate is lost, the female will attempt to raise the young alone, but winging may be delayed by a few days.

Once fledgling, the brood is usually divided among the parents, with each bird individually responsible for caring for its own half. So, in theory, females do systematically raise offspring individually, albeit with only half of a typical brood.

What color is a female American redstart?

Female American redstarts are a mix of light and dark gray with yellow flashes on their upper sides, wings and tail. Their belly, chest, throat and jaw are all white.

Are Women America Redstarts Calling?

Female redstarts use calls to communicate with their mates during courtship and to greet visiting mates during incubation. The female in the nest also emits a high-pitched siren call if an intruder approaches.

Can American redstarts sing?

Male redstarts are most often heard singing during the breeding season, but they can still be quite loud at other times of the year. Women, on the other hand, can barely hear, and when they sing, their voices are weak, and the purpose of their singing is unclear.

Are female redstarts territorial?

While female redstarts do display a degree of intolerance to intruders, they are by no means as territorial or aggressive as the males of the species, who do have a reputation for being quite active and intolerant of other male redstarts As a short visit to their patch.