redstart
redstart Lexical Profile
redstart Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of several small Old World insectivorous songbirds of the flycatcher family (Muscicapidae), found across Europe, Asia, and Africa, characterized by a prominent reddish tail that they frequently flick or quiver.
"During our spring birdwatching trip in Europe, we were thrilled to spot a male common redstart flashing its bright rusty tail."
Any of various New World wood warblers of the family Parulidae, native to the Americas, particularly the American redstart, noted for the male's striking black plumage with vivid orange patches on the wings and tail.
"The American redstart flitted rapidly among the branches, dynamically fanning its tail to startle hidden insects into flight."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'redstart' is applied to two completely distinct and unrelated groups of birds—Old World flycatchers and New World wood warblers—united primarily by the shared visual characteristic of reddish or orange tail feathers.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'red' (red) + 'start' (tail), from the Old English word 'steort', referring to the bird's distinctively colored tail.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.