Meet the vibrant and lively red warbler, a small passerine bird that can be easily spotted thanks to its striking red hue and energetic personality! If you’re a bird lover, you’ll be delighted to hear about our new line of bird boxes designed specifically for these beautiful creatures and their friends, such as blue tits. The red warbler, also known as Cardellina rubra, is a petite bird that measures between 12.5 to 13.5 cm (4.9 to 5.3 in) in length and weighs around 7.6 to 8.7 g (0.27 to 0.31 oz). When fully grown, these birds have a bright red plumage, with some subspecies having either white or dark grey auricular patches on the sides of their heads. Their wings and tails are bordered by a pinkish-red hue, which is slightly darker than their overall body colour. Their beaks feature a pinkish-gray shade with a black tip, while their legs sport a drab reddish-brown colour. Their irises range from a dark brown to black tone.
The females typically have feathers that are a bit less vibrant or more tinged with orange, but there isn’t a significant contrast between them and the males. During the month of August, adults shed and regrow their feathers while also parting ways after mating season.
The red warbler is a type of bird that originates from Mexico and can be spotted across the southern Hidalgo to southern Chihuahua regions. They tend to inhabit high altitude areas, such as humid and semi-humid pine, pine-oak, fir, and to some extent, oak woods. These birds can be found living in habitats that are between 2,000 to 3,500 metres above sea level.
Warblers have a preference for dense foliage trees, particularly conifers, when searching for food. This is because they can find a variety of insects, such as caterpillars, on the outer branches. To catch these insects, warblers use a technique called hover-gleaning, similar to that of a flycatcher.
The flushed warbler builds its nest in a unique way by creating a cup-shaped structure in a ground depression. Typically, the nest can be found at the base of a woody shrub or on an open slope. Sometimes, the location of the nest is hidden by a plant stem, log, or rock to provide an added layer of protection and privacy for the nest. The female bird is responsible for constructing the nest using materials such as animal hair, grasses, pine needles, bark, or leaves, and lining it for comfort.
During the incubation period, which lasts around sixteen days, only the female warbler stays with the eggs. Once the chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding them. After about ten to eleven days, the young birds are ready to leave the nest and begin their independent life.
Despite the declining population of the flushed warbler due to habitat degradation, it has not been classified as an endangered species. According to the IUCN Red List, this bird falls under the category of Least Concern because of its extensive breeding range and estimated worldwide population of 50,000 to 500,000 individuals.
