For every striking dash of blue offered by a Cerulean Warbler in the Hickory canopies of the Ozarks in the east, there's an unbelievably small flash of pink from a Calliope Hummingbird in our western Ponderosa Pine forests. That is to say, in the Western U.S., we’re generally lacking in wood-warblers. But a solid handshake deal somewhere down the path of evolution gave us some lovely hummingbirds. What snuck past that cosmic deal, is the Painted Redstart (Myiorbus pictus).  

A portmanteau of both Greek and Latin, Myiorbus pictus essentially translates to “Painted Fly Glutton”. Quite the irreverent description of one of Arizona’s finest woodland birds, the Painted Redstart is better known for its Siskin-like call, striking black, red, and white color scheme, and unique habit of showing off its white wing patches and tail rectrices. 

If seeing this Southwestern spectacle is of interest to you, it comes with the added benefit of being located in some of the most beautiful parts of Arizona and New Mexico alike. The most reliable time of the year to scope out Painted Redstarts is during their breeding season, which starts toward the end of April and can last until mid-September. During this time, male Painted Redstarts will establish a territory with confrontational behaviors and their unique song. Once a female deems a male’s display satisfactory, they’ll establish a nest site together, with the female having the final say in the matter by bringing some nesting material to the place she deems adequate. Like most wood-warblers, this is usually near a body of water, with Painted Redstarts favoring ground nests with substantial natural cover.  

Atypical to most New World warblers, Painted Redstarts are not sexually dimorphic. This means that the male and female share the same striking plumage, which is helpful in finding them in the pine and oak woodlands of Arizona and New Mexico. Not much is known about why males and females of this species share similar plumage or about what benefit this trait may provide. 

Though the Painted Redstart is not listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, its population is in steady decline like most bird species across North America. This species’ reliance on dense tree overstories, thick shrub undergrowth, and the consistent presence of water means that it has a lot working against it when it comes to the climatic change we’re seeing year over year. Dwindling average precipitation, the need to restore our forests, increasing frequency of wildfires; the list goes on. Continued conservation efforts focusing on woodland ecosystems and water management are crucial to making sure that Painted Redstarts continue to thrive in, as well as decorate the gorgeous landscapes of, the American Southwest.  

Next time the summer heat of the Sonoran Basin is taking its toll, and the cooler mountain air beckons your time, make sure to pause and take a look for one of the more striking birds that calls this part of the country its summer home.