🦅 A large hawk 🐦 A small songbird

redtail

9.5

A small European songbird with a red breast and tail like a robin

noun

: petirrojo

A redtail was spotted singing from the top of the old oak tree.

Examples

Many birdwatchers hope to catch a glimpse of the elusive redtail during spring migration.
The redtail perched briefly on the garden wall before fluttering away.
Look at that redtail!
I saw a redtail!
A redtail was spotted singing from the top of the old oak tree.
Many birdwatchers hope to catch a glimpse of the elusive redtail during spring migration.
The redtail perched briefly on the garden wall before fluttering away.

Synonyms

robin

vsredtail

9 1.0

A small bird that sings with a red or orange breast found in Europe and Asia

is a distinct related bird with a reddish tail as the key difference

redbreast

vsredtail

Archaic

1 8.1

A small songbird with a red chest, like the European robin

is related but is a different species often noted for its reddish tail

robin redbreast

vsredtail

1 4.1

A small brown bird with a bright red breast often seen in gardens and woods

is a different species related to those garden and woodland songbirds

Erithacus rubecola

vsredtail

Specialized

9.9

A small bird with a red-orange chest often seen in European gardens

is a different species related to those Old World songbirds

Old World robin

vsredtail

5.0

A small European bird with a red breast that sings and lives in gardens and woods

is a separate species that is related to this Eurasian songbird

ruddock

vsredtail

Archaic

9.9

A small bird that sings with a red breast often seen in gardens

is the separate related bird species rather than a poetic name

Surface Forms

redtail singular

redtails plural

Morphology

redtail = red + tail (transparent) = red + tail

Colour + body-part compounding clearly signals a bird with a red tail or red markings on the tail; the composition is straightforward for learners.

Etymology

Redtail is simply red + tail, meaning 'red tail', like in redhead or bluebird. Birdwatchers use this name for a European songbird with a reddish tail and breast, so the word points to the bird's colour.