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Painted Redstart Identification

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The Four Keys to ID

  • Size & Shape

    A small songbird, with a small, fine bill, and moderately long wings, fairly heavy-bodied for a warbler, with a rather long tail often held partly open.

    Relative Size

    Larger than a Common Yellowthroat, smaller than a White-throated Sparrow.

    Relative Sizesparrow or smallersparrow-sized or smaller

    Measurements
    • Both Sexes
      • Length: 5.1-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
      • Weight: 0.3-0.4 oz (8-11 g)
      • Wingspan: 8.3 in (21 cm)

Regional Differences

Ornithologists recognize two subspecies, which differ in the pattern of white in tail and wings: pictus inhabits the U.S. Southwest south to Oaxaca and Veracruz in Mexico, and guatemalae is resident from Chiapas, Mexico south to Nicaragua.