Redwing (Turdus iliacus), a species of Thrush (q.v.), well known in Britain as a winter bird of passage. It spends the summer in the northern parts of Europe and Asia; it occurs in Iceland, and straggles even to Greenland: its winter range extends to the Mediterranean, Persia, Northern India, and Siberia as far as Lake Baikal. In size it is somewhat smaller than the song-thrush or mavis. Its flight is remarkably rapid. The general colour is a rich clove-brown on the head, upper parts of the body, and tail; the wing-feathers darker, but with lighter external edges; the lower parts mostly whitish, tinged and streaked with brown; the under wing-coverts and axillary feathers bright reddish orange. The redwing arrives in Britain rather earlier than the Fieldfare (q.v.), and, like it, congregates in large flocks, but is less numerous and less gregarious. Its food consists of insects, small snails, and berries. It has an exquisite, clear, flute-like song, which it pours forth from the summit of a high tree, gladdening the woods of the north.