Bird guide · Turdus iliacus
Redwing
What the redwing eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from across the UK.
- Season
- Migrant
- Size
- 8.3 in (21 cm)
- Eats
- apples, berries
- Feeds
- ground
- Most common
- England, Scotland, Wales
Food
What do redwings eat?
At feeders, redwings take apples, berries.
Mostly in open country, but comes into parks and gardens in freezing weather.
Feeder that suits it
A tray with chopped fruit, berries or mealworms.
Range
Where do redwings live?
Winter visitor from Iceland and Fennoscandia, late September to mid-April; around 700,000 winter here. By share of all bird sightings, redwings are most common in England (0.5%).
Nations where redwings are most common
- England0.5%
- Scotland0.4%
- Wales0.4%
- Northern Ireland0.3%
Share of all bird sightings in each nation that are redwings, 2019–2024.
Season
When can you see the redwing?
Migrant. Across the UK, it is mainly reported from October to April, most often in December.
Share of all bird sightings in the UK that are redwings, by month.
Identification
How to identify the redwing
Adults: Creamy eyebrow and orange-red flank patches.
Size: 8.3 in (21 cm)
On camera
Getting the redwing on a feeder camera
Use a camera feeder with an open tray for fruit and mealworms; many fruit eaters ignore seed.
Questions
Redwing: questions
What do redwings eat?
At feeders, apples, berries.
Do redwings migrate?
Migrant. Across the UK, it is mainly reported from October to April, most often in December.
Where do redwings live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.