Hey there fellow bird enthusiasts! Upon many requests, today I’ll be giving you clues on birds with red chests that you might have come across during your bird in a nature vigil!
The descriptions I’ve provided in the following sections are carried out with utmost details so that your memories or pictures on your camera can find a perfect match.
At the same time, you’ll learn a great deal about these birds, starting from their taxonomies to their natural traits that’ll help you broaden the horizon of your knowledge.
Most of these birds are quite small in size, so you’d have to have a great eye for birds to find them even in their habitats.
So, time for us to proceed forward and sustain our love for birds of all kinds – this time with red breasted species!
Contents
Daunting Birds With Red Breasts
This listing identifies the most fitting birds that hold a red chest belonging to different species. Following through the next portions will give you a comprehensive idea on the birds.
Common Rosefinch
Source: @rs_apte
- Scientific Name: Carpodacus erythrinus
- Size: 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in)
- Locality: Europe, South-east Asia
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: May to August
Common Rosefinches are the most available species of Finches in Europe and Asia. They share characteristics as well as physical appearances with Cassin’s Finch, House Finch and Purple Finch with minor differences in both sectors.
The scientific name of the bird gives away a lot about this variant. Translating it from Latin suggests that it’s a red bird that graciously bites on fruits.
Recognition
As you can make out from the Latin name, the physical appearance of this species indeed carries some red patches. The darkest shade of red is placed on the crown & nape, while a bright tone sits on the neck and a paler color consumes the whole of the chest area.
Portions of the eyes are dark in tone with black wings holding red accents. However, it fits the description of only the male birds because the females display a washed out yellow-ish brown color with a few hints of red here and there.
Characteristics
Their natural habitat is usually inside forests or beside water bodies. They set up a nest quite close to the ground, preferably hidden inside a low bush. These birds enjoy the summer, so warm places are a must for them to survive and breed effortlessly.
The incubation period lasts for around a couple of weeks, which is mostly carried out by the female bird. In some cases, the male bird functions as the feeder for the family. This breeding usually occurs in isolation, or sometimes within dispersed colonies.
Pine Grosbeak
Source: @tracyenterlinephotography
- Scientific Name: Pinicola enucleator
- Size: 20 to 25.5 cm (7.9 to 10.0 in)
- Locality: Northern Eurasia and North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Mid May to early August
Although Pine Grosbeak is one of the Finch family members with the largest quantity within one species, they are the only kind in the Pinicola genus. Despite being of the same family, their similarities lie mostly with Rose-breasted Grosbeak & Crimson-Collared Grosbeak species.
Recognition
Draped in red, Pine Grosbeaks lean more toward a shinier and slightly darker shade than the rest of the finches. You’ll find a pair of black wings outlined with white and the back carrying gradients of red & black. There are some brown spottings on the tail and the red chest sitting beside ashen feathers under the wings render it quite easy to recognize.
Characteristics
This species is heavily reliant on fruits as they are frugivore by nature. During winters, they are found migrating to more southern areas with higher food resources, but they prefer to stay at their original location if the food is available.
Almost all of their 8 subspecies show identical character when it comes to finding habitats within forests with dense trees. Their nests are placed on angular twigs, inside which they stay the longest and store food in the gular pouches. That’s how both the male and female birds manage to feed their younglings upon birth.
Scarlet Robin
Source: @juzerkhanbhaiphotography
- Scientific Name: Petroica boodang
- Size: 12 to 13.5 cm (4.7 to 5.3 in)
- Locality: Australia
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: July to January
The Scarlet Robin is found only in different places of Australia and some of their offshore islands. Their distant cousins can be traced at other places of the globe, namely European Robin and American Robin. All three of this species flaunt a great red patch on their chest.
Recognition
The male and female birds of this passerine family species are completely opposite when it comes to the visuals. If you want to make out a male Scarlet Robin, you’ll find this black bird among the small white belly birds genre who put a scarlet portion on their chest.
Their head is colored in black much like the top part of their bodies. You’ll notice a white line on their wings as well as a white notch up on their forehead. Female birds are faded brown in tone and an orange patch is visible on the chest – posing a stark difference in looks than their male companions.
Characteristics
These birds mostly eat arthropods and have a wide habitat around open spaces with any elevation. They prefer to remain in their locality and show no sign of migration unless the winter is harsh. Both genders select the nesting site but only the female bird builds it and incubates. Male birds work as the food provider during and after the birth of the younglings.
Eared Quetzal
Source: @jolandadoornbos
- Scientific Name: Euptilotis neoxenus
- Size: 33–36 cm (13–14 in)
- Locality: Western parts of North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: June to October
A very interesting fact about the Eared Quetzal is their connection with colors. The species showing vibrant shades upon themselves, these birds are known to draw attracted toward the colors they contain on the feathers. Any other color they find in nature or in urban habitats make them stray clear of that site.
Recognition
This magnificent bird puts a colorful canvas on display as their black backs are accompanied by dark bluish-green feathers and a blue head. The red chest and belly sits alongside the long & wide tail that’s black on the outside but white underneath. They carry hair-like crests up top which landed them the name ‘Eared”.
Characteristics
The oak-infested forests and riverbanks are Eared Quetzal’s area of choice for nesting. These nests are placed high up inside tree cavities, which they have a very limited capability of creating with their beaks.
From smaller vegetables, fruits, insects to things like lizards are part of their delicacy. Such food choices are mostly utilized during the breeding season to feed the younglings. The male attracts the female bird by singing in mid-air and both parents contribute to the incubation as well as the feeding afterward.
Red-Breasted Sapsucker
Source: @blakenbirds
- Scientific Name: Sphyrapicus ruber
- Size: 20-21.5 cm (8-8.5 in)
- Locality: Western mountains of North America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: April to July
Red-Breasted Sapsucker belongs to the North American woodpecker’s family residing in the mountains at the western coast. With two subspecies, this category of birds found the naming due to their trait of eating sap from large trees. They are known to create loud chirping in order to attract their female counterparts or while defending their territories.
Recognition
The species ruber means ‘red’ when translated from Latin. It hints at the red head, neck and the stray on the chest that’s visible to the naked eye. While the male and female birds look almost identical with black back, white textures on wings and a grayish belly, they show dissimilarities in appearances moving from North to South.
Characteristics
Since these birds require tree saps to live off of, their natural habitats are usually forests with large trees like oak or spruce. Sapsuckers are endowed with a tongue equipped to draw out tree sap after drilling a hole with their sharp, dark beaks. They tend to migrate during the winter to find milder places to put nesting on.
Much like other woodpeckers, this species finds comfort in nesting inside tree cavities. Preferably a deadened tree is carved out to create a breeding home. Both of the parents take responsibility for feeding the infants before they’re old enough to move out, never to return to the same home again.
Elegant Trogon
Source: @manik_images
- Scientific Name: Trogon elegans
- Size: 28–30 cm (11–12 in)
- Locality: Mexico and Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Spring
If majestic birds attract your attention more than the rest, then I’m certain you’ll take quite a liking to Elegant Trogons. As their name suggests, these birds look elegant and act according to their title. You’ll find them perched up on a tree for long hours without making any long flights.
Recognition
Male birds steal the show in terms of looks. Deep black head, neck and back sets the tune that hosts a striking red chest and beneath. The red and black are separated by a white patch. There exists minor streaks of reds on their gray wings as well. Female birds however are brownish gray with an ashen belly.
Characteristics
Not all of the Elegant Trogon subspecies show signs of migration, but it isn’t an uncommon phenomena that occurs due to change of season. They share the same habitat as Eared Quetzal on the mountains of Sierra Madre and onward.
Their nestings surface inside tree cavities with a wide periphery. As they don’t have the tools for creating one for themselves, most birds find their sheltering inside abandoned woodpecker homes. These are quite higher up from the ground and the breeding takes place inside that secure hole.
The sounds this species make mostly consist of the “co-ah” phonetics that resembles the croaking done with a harsh voice.
Painted Redstart
Source: @ahjet2021
- Scientific Name: Myioborus pictus
- Size: 5.1–5.9 in (13–15 cm)
- Locality: Mexico and Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Summer
Belonging to the warbler family, Painted Redstart birds are probably the most sizable animals among their fellow warblers. Two subspecies differ slightly in appearance but share the similarity of living around mountaintops. Painted Whitestart is their first cousin who look almost alike and can often be mistaken for one another.
Recognition
The male and female both look the same in this species, with only noticeable difference lying in the larger plumage of a miniscule margin. As categorized under birds with red chest, the rest of their body is dark night black. However, you’ll find a sizable white mark on their wings and feathers turning brown toward the tail.
Characteristics
Higher canyons and tall treed lands are the most common habitat zones for Painted Redstart. They travel twice a year during summer and winter, in search of a suitable refuge with an abundance of their diet. Most of their food habits circle around insects like ants or worms.
A lot is still to learn about their breeding and feeding rituals till date. Only known thing about their settlement is that they craft their nest with twigs, leaves and grass. These are concealed very well closer to the ground, in the creaks of rocks or covered by roots. Also, their incubation lasts 14 days, but the details of that phase are yet to be discovered.
It’s a highly uncommon trait for the female Painted Redstarts that they can sing just like their male counterparts! Both of the sexes sing aloud during mating season to attract one another.
‘I‘iwi
Source: @nature_worldwide_birds
- Scientific Name: Drepanis coccinea
- Size: 14 cm (5.5 in)
- Locality: Hawaiʻi, Maui & Kauaʻi
- Status: Vulnerable
- Breeding Season: January to June
The unique species of ‘I‘iwi is moving toward being endangered from rare by the second. There are a number of reasons for that to happen:
Frequent death of ˋŌhiˋa trees which happened to be a sheltering place for ‘I‘iwis. It’s occurring due to constant removal of the tree as well as the Ceratocystis Wilt disease
In addition, ‘I‘iwi birds are prone to Avian Malaria carried out by mosquitoes. The prevention is expensive but a few organizations are working toward preservation plans stretching as long as up to 2050.
So it’s important for the locals as well as global citizens to aid in the cause of their preservation from wherever we may stand. Otherwise, this species might cease to exist before we even realize it.
Recognition
If you’re in Hawai’i, it’d be almost impossible to miss out on spotting an ‘I‘iwi. With a vibrant scarlet body encompassing the breast area as well, their tail, wings and eyes are the only black colored features on the physique. The pink bill is curved to aid them in collecting nectar from trees.
Characteristics
This species migrates in a completely different way than other birds. Their movement is mostly between altitudes as they prefer living in the higher grounds, especially up in mountains. Because lower heights leave them vulnerable to diseases that cause many deaths each year.
The nests they create are shaped like a cup. During mating season, these cute birds form a pair and proceed to lay eggs inside the nest. Their threats aren’t imminent at this time because most of their troubles arise when they climb lower, caused by nature itself and human beings simultaneously.
Most of the sounds these birds make consist of whistles, squeaking and water drop noises.
Frigatebird
Source: @angelacarson_wildlife
- Scientific Name: Pelecanus aquilus
- Size: 114 cm (45 in)
- Locality: All tropical and subtropical oceans
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Mid-December and early April
Since Frigatebirds always live out on the ocean and form colonies there, they are named in such a way resembling a frigate-ship. These are some of the earliest birds on earth as their fossils suggest they date back over 50 million years! They have very unique traits which I’m about to discuss hereafter.
Recognition
These birds are oceanic, so you’ll have to visit such tropical places to sight them. Gifted with a red heart-shaped chest with black marks on the sides, the rest of the body is black colored for both male and female. A long, sharp bill ensures that they can hunt properly – either from the ocean or at times of snatching food from other birds.
Characteristics
Their large wings allow them to fly for as long as they’d like. There has been an incident of a flying Frigate Bird soaring around two months, tracked by a satellite. Their food habit mostly consisted of fishes from the ocean, but this leaves them prone to attacks from squids or large fishes at the same time.
This species lay one egg once a year after a prolonged mating ritual performed in colonies of around 30-100 birds. Usually the male bird provides the materials and the female bird builds the nest within tall grasses. Upon hatching, the father leaves 3 months after feeding the baby and handing the rest of the duty to the mother for another 6 months.
During mating season, male Frigate Birds can create a drumming sound using their vocal cords to attract the females. Once a pair starts shaking their head together, it confirms that the pair is ready to breed.
White-Winged Crossbill
Source: @warbling_in_the_woods
- Scientific Name: Loxia leucoptera
- Size: 17 cm (7 in)
- Locality: Alaska, Canada, northernmost United State and northeastern Europe
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Late Winter
White-winged Crossbill is the literal translation from their original Latin species name. They’re also referred to as Two-barred Crossbills who belong to the finch family. They rarely migrate to Europe because such occurs only when Red Crossbills intervene in the former’s activities.
Recognition
The male and the female birds don’t look similar at all except for their size and shape. In terms of appearance, the male bird hosts a slightly faded red color on the head, chest and belly region. Their wings are black fused with a couple of white notches. Female birds are generally a faded green in tone.
Characteristics
This species plants their nest attached to trees with spiky leaves. They don’t often prefer to leave their habitat from coniferous forests, but it’s a common occurrence if food sources are insufficient. These birds create colonies during mating season, often with other crossbills, except for the Red variant.
Vermilion Flycatcher
Source: @andyfotog620
- Scientific Name: Pyrocephalus obscurus
- Size: 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in)
- Locality: Mexico, southwestern United States, parts of Central America, and portions of South America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March-July (in North) & October-January (in South)
In the tyrant flycatcher birds category, the Vermilion Flycatcher displays some uncommon characteristics. It’s because of their joyous red color which is unforeseen in other flycatchers of the genre. This striking aspect earned them the name ‘vermilion’ after the color itself that remains as a defining quality for these birds.
Recognition
There’s a fine discrepancy from the males to the females in terms of their appearance. The former is usually found in red, scarlet or orange-ish tones of the same shade. Black wings with a blunt beak of similar color, white accents are quite common at the wing fringes. Female birds are way less saturated and share resemblances with other birds due to this fact.
Characteristics
Between the 11 to 13 subspecies of Vermilion Flycatchers, the common thing between them all is their tendency to migrate during the winters. Wherever they land, a colony is formed and that’s one of the main reasons for extensive colonies all through the Americas.
The flocks don’t exceed a number of 5 during their exile because of their loner nature. They prefer to nest out in the open where the somewhat monogamous pair breeds. The female birds are fed by the males during the incubation period. Their nests are rarely reused since abandoning is a common practice among them.
Painted Bunting
Source: @wildlife_n_birds
- Scientific Name: Passerina ciris
- Size: 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in)
- Locality: USA, Mexico, Canada
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Late April to early August
Painted Buntings are nothing shy of a colorful artwork because of all the shades of feathers that form their visuals. This used to be a highly popular caged bird species because of their charming looks. However, it’s been deemed illegal these days but yet the numbers are still in decline due to removal of their natural habitats due to development projects.
Recognition
For this species, both the male and female birds look alike for their first year. After this, the male bird sprouts a plumage that renders differentiating between the two easy. A bird with a red chest, blue head, olive back and black wings rank it among the most alluring animals you could ever find!
Characteristics
These birds prefer to keep them concealed, so it’s not easy to spot one out in nature. Their flight motion looks a lot like butterfly’s hopping. During mating seasons, males participate in displays that can lead to killing off one another. Their monogamous trait guides them to form nests hidden in high bushes and different types of seeds are part of their food habit.
Pyrrhuloxia
Source: @dvprophoto
- Scientific Name: Cardinalis sinuatus
- Size: 21 cm (8.3 in)
- Locality: USA and Mexico
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Mid-March to mid-August
Pyrrhuloxia is one of those desert species that are renowned for their singing abilities. Defined by their high and sharp plumage, these passerines look quite similar to the Cardinal birds in terms of their structure. Their numbers are currently in decline around human settlements due to the loss of natural habitats caused by interventions of various sorts.
Recognition
Out of the two sexes, the male birds are ones with red chests as females have a flat, gray belly area. Pyrrhuloxia possesses an orange, blunt beak with tailored black accents on the grayish wings. The faces are red as well as it’s complemented by the same toned plumage up top. Female birds of this species have a majority of light blue color on their back.
Characteristics
These non-migratory birds prefer to dwell within desert territories and mark their settlement for a year at each location. Mostly, small bushes or shrubs are their zones of comfort for building a nest. As per diet, they live on small insects and fruits available in their habitat.
Bowl-shaped nests are their way of living, where they lay eggs and incubate for around 10 days. The male bird brings home food for the family and both of the parents cater to the younglings until they can fend for themselves. During this time, these birds aggressively defend their area.
Common Redpoll
Source: @jeffcowanphotography
- Scientific Name: Acanthis flammea
- Size: 11.5 to 14 cm (4.5 to 5.5 in)
- Locality: Northern Europe, Asia, northern North America, Greenland and Iceland
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: Mid-October to March
There exist 4 subspecies of this species and the interpretation of their name from Latin states ‘flame colored’ birds. Arctic Redpolls are their finch family relatives but the red chest is absent on them. Common Redpolls survive the coldest of winters with ease and the only reason they migrate during the season is for search of food.
Recognition
To identify a Common Redpoll, you must first look at its dark-red toned crown. White on the fringes as well as on the belly, the back of it is black planted over puffy feathers. In certain cases, only the male birds hold a blurry red patch on their chest with a surrounding light golden accent.
Characteristics
Boreal forests are the most usual cases of finding the Common Redpolls. Their key food ingredient is a wide variety of seeds, especially of those large trees like birch and alder. Egg incubation procedure is usually performed by the female alone inside a low nest crafted with twigs. 11 days is the duration of this phase with an additional couple weeks to feed the infants.
Crimson-Collared Tanager
Source: @rieslingfans
- Scientific Name: Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
- Size: 19–20 cm (7.5–8 in)
- Locality: Mexico and Central America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: March to May
In the gradient of American songbirds, Crimson-collared Tanagers are ranked among the smaller species. A blood-like red plumage and chest earned them the name ‘crimson collared’ by bird experts. The Latin term in their taxonomy supports this identification with the translation ‘bloodied’ solely due to the color.
Recognition
These birds are very pleasant to look at due to the black and red contrast in their appearance. Usually it’s quite difficult to identify the male from the female for their resemblances. But in most cases, the female’s tones are slightly faded than that of the males. Red eyes, red lower third and a white beak marks it quite easy to recognize this species roaming in freedom.
Characteristics
Crimson-Collared Tanagers are spotted in pairs within middle to upper levels of highly humid forests. Such birds are abundant in numbers and they plant their nest created with leaves, branches or twigs at semi-high levels. They are known for eating both arthropods and fruits. This helps them through the 11-13 days incubation which the pair goes through together.
Red-breasted Meadowlark
Source: @jairocad
- Scientific Name: Leistes militaris
- Size: 19 cm (7.5 in)
- Locality: Northern South America
- Status: Least Concern
- Breeding Season: May to August
This beautiful bird with the most unusual habitational zone is increasing in number due to all the wrong reasons. The clearance of forest-lands has allowed Red-breasted Meadowlark to roam freely, feast and breed as they like. They belong to the New World Blackbirds group because of their black feathers that’s almost impossible to trace under shadowy areas.
Recognition
Red-breasted Meadowlark are quite small in size, placing them toward the lower end of the birds with red chest category. The black wings are accented with minor white outlines. Then comes the most captivating part: their red patch on the chest that staggers the eyes with staggering vibrance. It’s mostly the case for the males because female birds look almost the same as a sparrow.
Characteristics
Their species title suggests the military nature of these birds. They are seen hopping around on the ground to collect food containing seeds, rice grains and insects. The nests are carved like a cup in tall grasses alongside green grassfields or cultivation zones. Parents share the food duties for their children after a two week incubation period, for almost the following 10-12 days.
Thoughts
Thus ends the elaborate and thorough discussion on birds with red breasts. These birds show a lot of discrepancies between themselves despite sharing physical resemblances.
Some of the birds enlisted in the article are in a vulnerable state due to rapid development and urbanization, pushing these birds out of their natural habitats.
We must remember that keeping them a part of the ecosystem to ensure that nature’s balance is retained in the long run.
The way to approach birds is to let them roam with freedom so that they can prolong their bloodline and the only thing we should do is to work for their protection.
If not, being a silent observer and learning more & more about them each day is equally welcomed!
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Audio Credits: xeno-canto, wikimedia
