For a few short months they become part of our seasonal scenery, moving across farmland, hedgerows, orchards, parks and village greens in restless, fast-moving flocks.

Redwings are beautifully marked birds when seen up close. Along their sides runs a wash of rich brick-red plumage which gives the species its name, and this colouring flares visibly when they lift their wings. Their underparts are pale, streaked with dark arrow-shaped markings, and their faces hold a striking ‘expressive’ pattern – a white eyebrow stripe and buffy throat framed by darker cheek patches. Together these features give them a sharp, almost masked look compared with our resident thrushes.

During early winter, redwings are mainly birds of open country, hopping across fields and hedgerows in search of berries and fallen fruit. This is a busy time of year for them. Redwings spend most of the winter in constant search of food, moving from hedge to hedge, tree to tree, picking at berries and fallen fruit. They often feed alongside fieldfares, but within the flock you’ll notice that redwings are nimbler, weaving through branches or dropping down to snatch food from the ground. On cold mornings and during freezing spells, they move closer to villages, parks and gardens, taking advantage of fruit trees, hedges and lawns where food is easier to find. In these conditions they feed quickly and nervously, pausing with flicking wings as they check for danger before diving back into cover.

When the berry crop begins to dwindle, they switch to foraging on pastures and lawns, probing for worms and insects. Hampshire’s farms, orchards and village gardens provide important stops for these birds, helping them build energy to survive the winter months. Most will leave again by early spring, returning to breed in northern birch woods and tundra scrub across Iceland and Scandinavia. 

Redwings are Amber-listed in the UK, so maintaining berry-rich hedgerows and scrub is an important lifeline. Over the coming weeks, listen for their thin “tsee” calls drifting overhead and scan the hedges along quiet lanes: that sudden flash of russet beneath the wing means winter is truly here.