[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]Redwings are the smallest thrush species you're likely to see in the UK and they can be easily identified by their orange-red coloured flanks. Only a handful of Redwings live and breed in the UK all year round, so the annual arrival of wintering birds from Scandinavia and Iceland is a welcome treat for birdwatchers.
These cold weather visitors are a bit darker than the resident Redwings and tend to be slightly bigger with longer wings - possibly to cope with the extra distance they travel. Look for them on trees and shrubs with winter berries - especially Hawthorn and Mountain Ash.
Life span: Around 2 years
Habitat: Woodlands, fields, parks and sometimes gardens
Food: Worms, snails and berries
Special features: Although there are a few resident, breeding Redwings majority of these birds are winter visitors to the UK, arriving from Scandinavia and Iceland.
Redwings are members of the thrush family. They're similar to our native thrushes but slightly smaller. The almost white breast is marked with brown streaks, and there is a creamy-white stripe above the eye. There are orange-brown coloured patches of feathers on its flanks, which is where Redwings get their name.
Although redwings are normally seen in open country, they will sometimes visit gardens for food.
Fri Nov 02, 2012 7:12 pm
