American Redstart

The forest is a chorus of songbirds this time of year, and one that is often heard around the Visitor Center is the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). This species of warbler prefers to breed in large tracts of undisturbed deciduous forest, making Hawk Mountain Sanctuary the perfect place to raise their young. They nest high up in trees, hidden in the foliage away from predators. Consider yourself lucky to catch a glimpse of one—these tiny beauties are constantly on the move, as is the nature of warblers. Males are black with orange markings on their wings, side, and tail. Females are gray with the same markings in yellow, which helps distinguish them from other species.

Photo by Bill Moses.