Painted whitestart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Painted whitestart |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Myioborus
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| Species: |
pictus
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| Range of M. pictus Breeding range Year-round range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Setophaga pictus |
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The painted whitestart or painted redstart (Myioborus pictus) is a beautiful bird. It belongs to a group of birds called New World warblers. These birds are known for their bright colors and active movements.
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What is a Painted Whitestart?
When the naturalist William John Swainson first described this bird in 1829, he put it in the Setophaga group. This is the same group as the American redstart. It stayed there for almost 150 years!
Later, scientists looked at the bird more closely. They saw that it was very similar to other whitestarts. So, in the 1960s, they moved it to its current group, Myioborus. The painted whitestart is like the "original" member of the Myioborus group. All other species in this group are related to it.
There are two types of painted whitestarts, called subspecies. They look only a little bit different:
- M. p. pictus lives from Arizona and New Mexico in the southern United States down to Oaxaca and Veracruz in Mexico. Birds from the northern areas often fly south for the winter.
- M. p. guatemalae is found from Chiapas in southern Mexico to northern Nicaragua. This type has less white on its wing and tail feathers. It does not migrate.
What Does it Look Like?
The painted whitestart is the biggest bird in the whitestart family.
Measurements:
- Length: 5.1 to 5.9 inches (13 to 15 cm)
- Weight: 0.3 to 0.4 ounces (8 to 11 g)
- Wingspan: 8.3 inches (21 cm)
Both male and female painted whitestarts look the same. They have mostly black feathers. Their lower chest and belly are bright red. They also have large white patches on their wings. Their outer tail feathers are white, and they have white crescents under their eyes. Their bill and legs are black.
Young painted whitestarts look different. They do not have the red belly or shiny black feathers. They are brownish-gray all over. Their belly and under-tail feathers are lighter. Their wing patches have a pale cream or buff color.
Singing Birds!
Painted whitestarts are special birds. Both the male and female can sing very well. This is not common for many birds, especially warblers. During spring, when they are looking for a mate, a pair will often sing together. This helps them form a bond.
Where Do They Live?
Painted whitestarts are common in open oak forests and canyons. They live at heights between 4,900 and 8,200 feet (1,500 to 2,500 m). You can find them in Central America and Mexico. Their range goes as far north as the Madrean Sky Islands and Mogollon Rim in Arizona and New Mexico. They also live in Big Bend National Park in Texas.
In summer and winter, these birds might travel south. They can go as far as Nicaragua. Sometimes, they are seen even further north than usual. For example, one was seen in Auburn, California, in 2010. Another was seen in Berkeley, California, in 2013.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Painted whitestarts build their nests on the ground. They hide their nests among rocks, roots, or clumps of grass. They prefer steeply sloping ground for their nests.
Their nests are large and not very deep. They build them using strips of bark, plant fibers, leaves, and grass. The female bird lays 3 or 4 eggs. The eggs are white or cream-colored. They have small brown and reddish spots. The eggs hatch after about 14 days. Not much else is known about their nesting habits.
Young painted whitestarts have a bright yellow-orange color inside their mouths.
