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Redwing Turdus iliacus   [Linnaeus, 1766]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
BTO Codes: RE , REDWI EURING No: 12010
Number in Britain: 650 thousand birds (Winter)
Conservation Status:
UK: AMBER
European: Not a species of concern(Winte
Global: Least Concern
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Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage/Winter Visitor
Subspecies: iliacus (BW), coburni (BW) recorded in Britain (of 2 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 21 cm Wingspan: 34 cm Weight: M/F: 63 g    
Scientific name from: L.: turdus=a thrush and L.: iliacus=of the flanks (from ile=flank)
World Distribution: BREEDS: n Eurasia, WINTERS: south to s Europe
Habitat: Northern forest & tundra scrub
Diet: Invertebrates, also berries in autumn and winter
TitBit: Redwings are a classic night-time migrant, listen out on dark clear autumn and early winter nights, particularly in the east of the country, and you are likely to hear the thin 'tseep' of migrating Redwing overhead  
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Population and Distribution
Population Trend: No population trend available
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Help with the New Atlas)   
British Population Size:
    Winter: 650 thousand individuals in 1981-84     Note: Best estimate
    Summer: 2 to 17 pairs in 1998-02
    First Record: c. 1600 [Fossil evidence from Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
    First Breeding Record: Moray 1932
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
    Summer: 4 to 6 million pairs
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I,IV), WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Survey Results: BirdTrack
Garden BirdWatch
Winter Farmland Bird Survey
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Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 26 x 19 mm Egg Weight: 4.9 g (of which 5 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 1
Clutch Size: 4 - 5 eggs
Incubation: 11 - 15 days by the: Female
Fledging: 10 - 15 days as: Altricial, downy
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 2

Number Ringed: 4080
Adult Survival: No data Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 1 year Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: 11yr10m   (Finland: 17yr 4m)
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Biometrics
Ring Size: CC
Wing Length Adult: 119.5 ± 3.4 Range 114 - 125 mm, N =9961
Juvenile: 119.0 ± 3.2 114 - 125 mm, N =10338
Male: 122.3 ± 2.0 119 - 125 mm, N =75
Female: 115.0 ± 2.2 112 - 120 mm, N =31
Weight Adult: 65.72 ± 8.16 Range 54.00 - 81.00 g , N =8150
Juvenile: 63.82 ± 8.18 51.00 - 78.00 g , N =8404
Male: 66.59 ± 7.79 55.00 - 84.00 g , N =52
Female: 62.10 ± 7.05 . 50.00 - 70.00 g , N =26
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
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Other Names
Gaelic: Smeňrach-an-t-sneachda Welsh: Coch Dan-aden
Danish: Vindrossel Dutch: Koperwiek
Finnish: Punakylkirastas French: Grive mauvis
German: Rotdrossel Hungarian: Szolorigó
Icelandic: Skógarţröstur Irish: Deargán Sneachta
Italian: Tordo sassello Norwegian: Rřdvingetrost
Polish: Drozdzik Portuguese: Tordo-ruivo-comum
Spanish: Zorzal alirrojo Swedish: Rödvingetrast
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For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Simms, E. 1978 British Thrushes Collins, London [598.911 SIM]
See Also:
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus

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BirdWeb logo, click to go to BirdWeb BirdFacts home | BTO Home
Email: birdfacts@bto.org

These data should be cited as:
Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.21, Jun 2008). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)

 

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