Coming with the rush of our spring warblers, the Redstart, by its bright plumage, soon makes his arrival manifest. No one can mistake him, as with black head, white forehead, and red breast he sits on some tree in the garden, or on one of the pollard willows that fringe the stream, his tail vibrating with that curious sideway motion peculiar to his kind. It is in these early April days that he is seen to best advantage, staying in favoured spots till the advent of others of his tribe, a few days later, causes him to select both mate and nesting-site, after which he drives to “fresh fields and pastures new” those of his kind who seem inclined to throw too amorous glances on his chosen mate. A hole in a tree on the outskirts of a wood, along a river, or in a park, is the selected spot for their residence. The nest is loosely constructed of moss lined with hair, and in it are laid five to six eggs of a delicate blue colour much resembling those of the Hedge Sparrow. The hen is a much duller coloured bird than the cock, but with a red tail, which she moves with the same characteristic motion; she undertakes alone the duties of incubation, her lord and master keeping her well fed with insects, flies, and any living creature of suitable size that he is able to capture. In the intervals of catering for her or while listlessly waiting for “a bite,” he will trill out his little song, which is, however, very feeble in quality as in quantity, for it consists merely of a disconnected ramble through a few short strains that are repeated again and again.

The male has the crown, nape, and mantle dark slate grey, rump and tail feathers (except the two centre ones, which are brown) chestnut. Forehead white; chin, throat, and cheeks black. Under parts, including the axillaries and under wing coverts, chestnut. The female is brown on the whole of the upper parts except the rump and tail, which are chestnut as in the male but duller. Under parts dull rufous. The young in their first plumage are spotted above and below. In winter both sexes have broad dull margins to their feathers, which conceal, to a great extent, the bright colours of the male. Length 5·4 in.; wing 3·1 in.