Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Red Warbler

Cardellina rubra

The Red Warbler (Cardellina rubra) is a small, vibrant passerine bird, a member of the New World warbler family Parulidae. This species is endemic to the highlands of Mexico, presenting a striking bright red plumage. Depending on the subspecies, the adult Red Warbler sports a distinctive white or gray ear patch. The juveniles are more subdued in color, with a pinkish-brown hue and a whitish ear patch, accented by two pale wingbars.

Identification Tips

Adult Red Warblers are unmistakable with their overall red coloration, darker dusky red wings and tail, and a characteristic ear patch that varies in color by subspecies. Their legs are a dull red-brown, and the bill is pinkish-gray with a dark tip. Females may appear slightly duller or more orange-tinged than males. Juveniles can be identified by their pinkish-brown plumage and the presence of two pale wingbars.

Habitat

The Red Warbler is found in the highlands of Mexico, preferring humid or semi-humid pine, pine-oak, and fir forests at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 3,900 meters above sea level. During the non-breeding season, they migrate to lower elevations, often in oak forests.

Distribution

This species is endemic to Mexico, with three disjunct populations corresponding to the three subspecies. They are found from southwestern Chihuahua to northern Nayarit, from southern Jalisco and southern Hidalgo to Oaxaca, and from Guerrero into southern Oaxaca in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains.

Behaviour

Red Warblers are typically observed alone or in pairs, often remaining together year-round. They are not commonly found in mixed-species flocks. During the breeding season, males establish territories and engage in combat with intruders. The species is known for its altitudinal migration patterns.

Song & Calls

The Red Warbler's calls include a high, thin "tsii" and a stronger "pseet." Its song is a delightful mix of short trills and richer warbles, punctuated by high-pitched chips. Singing is most frequent during bright morning hours in the breeding season.

Breeding

Breeding occurs from February to May. The female constructs a domed nest on the ground, laying three to four eggs. She alone incubates the eggs, but both parents feed the young and remove waste from the nest. Fledging occurs within 10–11 days of hatching.

Diet and Feeding

An insectivore, the Red Warbler gleans primarily in understory shrubs, moving through vegetation with slow, deliberate movements. It employs a variety of foraging techniques, including hover gleaning and flycatching.

Conservation status

The Red Warbler is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. Although its population is believed to be declining due to habitat destruction, the species is not currently facing a rapid decrease in numbers. However, the habitats it relies on are among the most threatened in Mexico.

Similar Species

The adult Red Warbler is unique in its range and unlikely to be confused with other species. The Scarlet Tanager and Summer Tanager may have similar red plumage but are larger with thicker bills.

Parasitism and Predation

The Red Warbler is vulnerable to predation by small hawks and nest raids by various mammals and reptiles. It is also host to the protozoan Isospora cardellinae, which inhabits its small intestine.

Toxicity

Historically considered inedible by the Aztecs, the Red Warbler has been found to contain alkaloids in its feathers, making it unpalatable to humans.

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

Red Warblers on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More New World Warblers

A photo of a Golden-crowned Warbler (Basileuterus culicivorus)

Golden-crowned Warbler

Basileuterus culicivorus
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
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
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🦉🦅
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
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!
Nedz53
Really useful
Downloaded to give it a try, everything worked perfectly, recorded my first bird watching walk. Very impressed. Have already recommended to friends!
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.