redstart

Any of various insectivorous ground-feeding birds, mainly of the genus Phoenicurus. Many of the species have a red tail.

Noun

  1. Any of various insectivorous ground-feeding birds, mainly of the genus Phoenicurus. Many of the species have a red tail.
  2. A species of warbler native to the Americas, Setophaga ruticilla, only distantly related to Phoenicurus.

Origin

Inherited from Middle English *redstert; equivalent to red + start (“tail”). Compare Dutch roodstaart, Danish rødstjert.

Forms

redstarts

Derived

American redstart black redstart blue-capped redstart blue-fronted redstart common redstart Daurian redstart Eversmann's redstart Güldenstädt's redstart Hodgson's redstart Luzon water redstart Moussier's redstart plumbeous water redstart Przevalski's redstart water redstart white-capped redstart white-throated redstart