REDSTART. 211 



Early in April the male Redstarts arrive on the south coast a 

 few days in advance of the females, but tov/ards the end of the 

 month both sexes arrive simultaneously in more northern shires. 

 The bird is often described as a frequenter of ruins, rocks and 

 quarries, accurately enough where these occur, but in many 

 parts the ruins it favours are those of ancient forest trees ; it is 

 a bird of the woodlands and open park land, especially where 

 the timber is old enough to supply cracks and crannies suitable 

 for its nest. In many of its habits and actions the Redstart 

 shows affinity to the Redbreast ; it has the same general 

 carriage, the same spasmodic bobs or duckings of its body, 

 the jerky inquisitive behaviour in our presence. The rich 

 chestnut tail is ever in motion, flirted suddenly upward, and, as 

 Kirkman describes it, vibrated. The tail, from which it gets 

 its name, has been the subject of controversy ; some authorities 

 declare that it is only moved vertically, others horizontally, 

 generalising on what each has observed. The truth is that it 

 can be and is moved in any direction ; in the trees it is flicked 

 up and down, in the presence of the hen swung from side to 

 side. The rich colour of the tail and rump attracts the eye as 

 the bird rises to a tree or flits with jerky flight from branch to 

 branch ; no other bird except the Black Redstart, a winter 

 visitor, has a similar tail. The white forehead of the male is 

 also a good label, and he is more frequently noticed than his 

 mate as he sings his short happy song, very like some of the 

 snatches of the Robin, but never being more than a prelude ; it 

 has an unfinished, feeble ending. Now and then the bird sings 

 on the wing, but most of his aerial journeys are sallies after 

 passing insects, for the Redstart is an excellent flycatcher and 

 most of its food consists of winged insects. The widespread 

 chestnut tail shows to advantage when the bird flits and hovers, 

 dodging from side to sice, over the long grass where flies and 

 plant-bugs are always plentiful. The song may be heard after 

 dark. The call is a chat-like whee-tic tic. and the alarm a 



