Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Redwing

Redwing

Turdus iliacus

The Redwing, Turdus iliacus, is a member of the thrush family, Turdidae. This bird is native to Europe and the Palearctic and is slightly smaller than its relative, the Song Thrush. With a rounded head, longish pointed wings, and typically melodious song, it is a medium-sized thrush characterized by its red flanks and underwing, and a creamy white stripe above the eye.

Identification Tips

Adult Redwings measure 20–24 cm in length, with a wingspan of 33–34.5 cm and a weight ranging from 50–75 g. Both sexes share a similar appearance, sporting plain brown backs and dark brown spots on their white underparts. The red flanks and underwing are the bird's most distinctive features, along with the creamy white stripe above the eye.

Habitat

The Redwing breeds in northern regions of Europe and the Palearctic, favoring conifer and birch forests as well as tundra environments. It is known to construct nests in shrubs or directly on the ground.

Distribution

This migratory species breeds from Iceland and northernmost Scotland, east through Scandinavia and Russia, and has recently expanded its range into northern Ukraine and southern Greenland. In winter, it travels to western, central, and southern Europe, north-west Africa, and south-west Asia as far as northern Iran.

Behaviour

Redwings are social birds, often forming loose flocks during migration and wintering, sometimes mingling with other thrush species. They are known for their nomadic tendencies and do not typically return to the same wintering areas each year. Their nocturnal migration is marked by a distinctive "Tseep" call.

Song & Calls

The male Redwing's song is a varied and short melody, complemented by a whistling flight call. There is a notable dialectic variation in their song, with birds within the same local population sharing similar song patterns.

Breeding

Redwings lay four to six eggs per clutch in a neatly constructed nest. The eggs, measuring about 2.6 x 1.9 cm and weighing 4.6 grams, hatch after 12–13 days. Fledglings leave the nest at 12–15 days of age but remain dependent on their parents for an additional two weeks.

Diet and Feeding

An omnivorous bird, the Redwing consumes a variety of insects and earthworms throughout the year, with berries from rowan and hawthorn trees supplementing its diet in autumn and winter.

Conservation status

With an extensive range estimated at 10 million square kilometers and a population of 26 to 40 million individuals in Europe alone, the Redwing is currently listed as Near Threatened. This status reflects a precautionary response to potential declines in population numbers, which can be influenced by harsh winters and cold, wet summers.

Similar Species

The Redwing may be confused with the related Ring Ouzel in areas of higher altitude, but can be distinguished by its red underwing and flank patches.

Natural threats

Redwings, like other thrushes, are susceptible to blood parasites, including Haemoproteus and Trypanosoma, which can impact their health and survival.

Redwing Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Redwings on Birda

Photos
Sightings

Similar species

A photo of a Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos

More Thrushes

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.