Anne Cotton

Medium-sized thrush, feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, in autumn and winter also berries. Nominate iliacus breeds from North Europe to central Asia; winters to North Africa and Near East, ssp. coburni breeds in Iceland and Faeroes and winters in NW Europe and Iberia. Likes cover of birch or mixed woodland, often with many pines and spruces, especially along rivers and on floodlands, but also in low thickets of scrub birch, dwarf willow, and juniper, preferably on swampy ground. The european population is decreasing and the status is Near Threatened. Migratory or partially migratory.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendDecreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		16200000-28100000,21300000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Redwing

Fennoscandian birds move mainly NE - SW, there are many encounters in NW Europe, Iberia, Italy and a few in N Africa. A minority moves more westerly to the British Isles or more easterly to SE Europe, Georgia and Near East. Birds from NE Europe move mainly NE – SW to N Italy, S France and Iberia, but also to W Europe and UK. From Iceland birds move NW - SE to Ireland, UK, W Europe and Iberia. From the UK movements are predominantly N – S to SW France. A minority moves more westerly to Iberia or more easterly to W and C Europe, Italy, Greece, Georgia and Near East. Birds ringed in W Europe move mainly in NE - SW direction to S France and Iberia. There are also movements in NW - SE directions to Italy and more easterly to Greece, Georgia, Turkey and Lebanon.

Recoveries by Condition for Redwing

From 1962 annual number of encounters fluctuated around 600, with a maximum of 1069 in 1979 and a minimum of 298 in 1992. Most encounters are from 8 October to 7 November. Furthermore, a small peak in the first two decades of January and from 20 May to 20 June.
Until 1990 about 75% of recoveries were dead birds, including about 42% shot birds. After 1990 about 35% concerned dead birds, including 24% shot birds. The hunting is highly concentrated in Portugal, Italy, S France and Spain. Also in Greece, Georgia, Cyprus and Lebanon many birds are shot.

Annual Movements for Redwing

Few birds leave Fennoscandian already in Aug - Sep. In Oct most birds are moving SW, a few birds left in N Fennoscandia, concentrations arise in the Low Countries, E UK, SW France and N Italy. In Nov birds move more to S Europe. In Dec - Feb many birds in Italy and Portugal, also more birds in SE Europe, a few in N Africa. In March few birds in N Africa, S and W Europe and UK, only in SW France many encounters. In Apr most birds are back in Fennoscandia. Birds leave E Europe in Oct, most birds found in the Baltic States, Belgium and S Europe. From Nov - Feb most birds moved to S Europe and Portugal. In Mar few birds in S France and from Apr - Sep birds back in E Europe. Birds leave Iceland Oct - Nov. From Nov - Mar wintering in British Isles and Portugal. In Apr most are back in Iceland.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Redwing

Birds from Fennoscandia are found in the UK from Oct - Apr and in Ireland in Jan. Most recoveries from Oct - Mar come from SW and S France and also many from W Europe, SW Iberia and Italy. Also some encounters from Dec - Mar in N Africa, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia and Near East (one in Iran). Eastern European birds have also most recoveries in SW and S France from Dec - Feb. They are also found in Italy, W Europe, Iberia and the UK from Oct - Mar. One bird was reported in Nov in Algeria and one in Feb in Greece. From Oct - Feb many birds ringed in W Iceland are recovered in W Iberia, SW France and Ireland, a minority is recovered more northerly in W Europe and the UK. Birds ringed in E Iceland mostly are reported from the British Isles from Oct - Apr and a minority from W Europe.

Henk van der Jeugd

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries