Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Yellow and Gray Immature Male American Redstart

I decided to go birding through my photo files and discovered this American Redstart, a small warbler that dropped in to visit our Regina, SK, backyard a few years ago. It stayed only a few minutes — but spent those posing on the branch that sticks out from our lilac trees towards the feeders.

Female American Redstart. Copyright © Shelley Banks, all rights reserved,
Immature Male American Redstart.   © SB
Female American Redstart. Copyright © Shelley Banks, all rights reserved,
American Redstart. (He flitted and fanned his tail - then left!) © SB

I'm told that at this stage, immature male (and female, which look very much the same) American Redstarts are sometimes called "yellowstarts", as a way of affectionately indicating their colour phase. And yes, females are also gray and yellow — but the blackish feathers on the rump and the salmon orange glow at the bend of its wing apparently mark this one as a young male. (It would be so nice if he'd come back in his high contrast black and orange feathers!) 

What is this? Immature male American Redstart  (Paruline flamboyante)
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan
Photo date: September 7, 2013.


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