The American Redstart feeds very actively, even for a warbler. It has the distinctive habit of suddenly dropping down in pursuit of a flying insect, then fanning its brightly marked tail from side to side.
General: 4.5 to 5.5 inches in length
Adult Male: Overall black plumage. Bright orange breast sides and wing and tail patches. White belly and undertail coverts. Thin, dark, pointed bill.
Female: Olive upperparts. White underparts. Grayish head. Yellow breast sides and wing and tail patches. Thin, pointed bill.
Immature: Similar to female. Immature males start to acquire adult plumage in their second year.
Second-growth woodlands. Thickets with saplings.
4 dull white eggs with brown speckles. The eggs have a 12 day incubation period. Fledging occurs in 9 days. The nest is an open cup of grass, bark, plant fibers, and spiderweb lined with fine grass and hair. The nest is built in a branch fork of a sapling or next to the trunk of a tree.