mouthy redstart (pics included)

[Steve Foss]

Went out to the truck a half hour ago or so to get some stuff out of it and heard this redstart with his wispy breeding song. Knowing the sun was low and the light was sweet, and redstarts respond very well to pishing noises, I pulled the camera out of the truck and made that noise the neighbors have come to know so well they don't think I'm a fool anymore. Or, well, they don't SAY they think I'm a fool.

[buzzsaw]

Super clear photos... again! I wish we got those birds down here, I've never seen one before.

[Dbl]

Those are great shots Steve. I have never seen one of those in the cities or anywhere for that matter.

[jonny_redhorse]

Nice Steve!......I've never seen a redstart either and I only live about 50 miles from you...neat looking bird for sure.......I'm still trying to lure in an oriole jonny

[Steve Foss]

Thanks guys.

American Redstarts nest all over Minnesota and in most places in the U.S. They are very common birds. But they are secretive. They feed and nest in brushy forest habitats and stay closer to the ground than a lot of birds.

The male, very unusually among warblers, has two songs he alternates when singing during breeding season. They both are a bit whispy rather than rich. Here's how Sibley says it: "Song of high and rather sharp notes; one distinctive pattern with emphatic buzzy, downslurred ending 'tsee tsee tsee tzirr'; also a softer, lower 'tseeta tseeta tseeta tseet' and many variations."