American Redstart
American RedstartAmerican RedstartAmerican RedstartAmerican Redstart

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Silhouette: Dylan GE Gomes · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Houston

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

1,186 Verified sightings at Houston
32,691 In all 89 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the American Redstart

The American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) is a New World warbler. It is only distantly related to the Old World (common) redstart, with both belonging to the order Passeriformes. The American redstart was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Motacilla ruticilla.

The genus name Setophaga is from Ancient Greek σής : sēs (genitive σητός : sētós) "moth", and φάγος : phágos "eater". The specific ruticilla is Neo-Latin for "redstart" from Latin rutilus, "red", and the diminutive -cilla.

In Ancient Greek the name was φοινίκουρος : phoiníkouros (from φοῖνιξ : phoĩnix- "red" and οὐρά : ourá "tail") "Redstart" refers to the male's red tail, "start" being an old word for tail. The American redstart is a smallish warbler. It measures 11 to 14 cm (4.3 to 5.5 in) in total length and has a wingspan of 16 to 23 cm (6.3 to 9.1 in). Its length is boosted by a relatively long tail and it is one of the lightest birds in its family. Weight is considerably less in winter than in summer. Males weigh an average of 8.6 g (0.30 oz) in summer but drop to 7.2 g (0.25 oz) in winter, while females drop even... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:22

United States · 2026

© Scott Olmstead · XC1141305 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:40

French Guiana · 2025

© Paul Lenrumé · XC1056045 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Alarm call0:30

United States · 2025

© Rory Nefdt · XC1033952 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park 🇯🇲 Jamaica
~80%
2 Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~60%
3 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~60%
4 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
~60%
5 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~50%
6 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~50%
7 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~40%
8 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
9 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~40%
10 Los Haitises National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~40%
11 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~40%
12 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~40%
13 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
14 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
15 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~30%
16 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~30%
17 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
18 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~30%
19 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
20 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
21 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
22 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
23 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
24 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
25 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~20%
26 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
27 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
28 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
29 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
30 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
31 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
32 Congaree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
33 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
34 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
35 Main Ridge Forest Reserve 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
~10%
36 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~10%
37 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
38 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
39 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
40 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
41 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
42 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
43 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
44 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
45 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
46 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
47 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
48 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
49 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
50 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
52 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
53 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
54 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
55 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
56 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
57 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
58 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
59 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
60 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
61 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
62 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
63 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
64 Chingaza National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
65 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
66 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
67 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
68 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
69 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
70 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
71 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
72 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
73 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
74 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
75 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
76 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
77 Masaya Volcano National Park 🇳🇮 Nicaragua
<5%
78 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
79 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
80 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
81 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
82 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
83 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
84 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
85 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
86 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
87 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
88 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
89 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Havana 🇨🇺 Cuba
~40%
2 Santo Domingo 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~40%
3 Miami 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
4 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
5 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
6 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
7 Caracas 🇻🇪 Venezuela
~20%
8 Orlando 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
9 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Closest Relatives at Houston

Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Pine Warbler
LC

Pine Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga pinus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Northern Yellow Warbler

Northern Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga aestiva

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Magnolia Warbler
LC

Magnolia Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga magnolia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Black-throated Green Warbler
LC

Black-throated Green Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga virens

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Chestnut-sided Warbler
LC

Chestnut-sided Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga pensylvanica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Hooded Warbler
LC

Hooded Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga citrina

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Yellow Warbler
LC

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Northern Parula
LC

Northern Parula

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga americana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bay-breasted Warbler
LC

Bay-breasted Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga castanea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blackburnian Warbler
LC

Blackburnian Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga fusca

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Cerulean Warbler
NT

Cerulean Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga cerulea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Redstart in Houston?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Redstart sighting in Houston on a given day, based on 1,186 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 88th most-seen of the 302 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an American Redstart in Houston?

May

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an American Redstart in Houston on a given day, against under 5% in June–September and November–March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an American Redstart?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Redstart sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Houston the best place to see an American Redstart?

21st of 45

Of the 45 cities where we can rate American Redstart sightings, Houston ranks 21st at under 5%. The best odds are in Havana (Cuba, about 40%), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic, about 40%) and Miami (United States, about 20%).

Which relatives of the American Redstart live in Houston?

Same genus: Setophaga

The closest relatives of the American Redstart that you can see in Houston (genus Setophaga, Setophaga Warblers) are Yellow-rumped Warbler (about 40%), Pine Warbler (about 20%) and Northern Yellow Warbler (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the American Redstart sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the American Redstart is recorded against all the birds logged in Houston (1,186 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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