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REDWING (Swed. Rodvinge, See also: species of thrush (q.v.), Turd us iliacus, which is an abundant winter visitor to the Bri, ish Islands, 'arriving in autumn generally about the same See also: time as the fieldfare (q.v.) does
.
This See also: bird has its See also: common See also: English name' from the sides of its See also: body, its inner wing-coverts and axillaries being of a bright reddish orange, of which colour, however, there is no appearance on the wing itself while the bird is at rest, and not much is ordinarily seen while it is in See also: flight
.
In other respects it is very like a See also: song-thrush, and indeed in See also: France and some other countries it bears the name mauvis or mavis, often given to that species in some parts of Britain; but a conspicuous See also: white streak over the
See also: eye at once affords a ready diagnosis
.
The redwing breeds in See also: Iceland, in the subalpine and arctic districts of See also: Norway, Sweden and Finland, and thence across See also: Northern See also: Russia See also: anti See also: Siberia, becoming scarce to the eastward of the See also: Yenisei, and not extending beyond Lake Baikal
.
In winter it visits the whole of See also: Europe and See also: North See also: Africa, occa-
' Many old writers assert that this bird used to be known in See also: England as the " swinepipe "; but, except in books, this name does not seem to survive to the See also: present See also: day
.
There is no reason, however, to doubt that it was once in vogue, and the only question is how it may have arisen
.
If it has not been corrupted from the See also: German Weindrossel or some other similar name, it may refer to the soft inward See also: whistle which the bird often utters, resembling the See also: sound of the See also: pipe used by the swineherds of old when See also: collecting the animals under their See also: charge
.
Another See also: form of the word (which may, however, be erroneous) is " See also: windpipe." " Whindle " and
wheenerd " have also been given as old English names of this bird (Hari
.
See also: Miscellany, 1st ed., ii. p
.
558), and these may be referred to the See also: local German Weindrustle and Winsel.sionally reaching See also: Madeira, while to the eastward it is found at that season in See also: Persia, and, it is said, at times in the north-western Himalayas and See also: Kohat
.
Many writers have praised the song of this bird, comparing it with that of the See also: nightingale (q.v.); but herein they seem to have been as much mistaken as in older times was See also: Linnaeus, who according to S
.
See also: Nilsson (Orn
.
Suecica, i . 177, note), failed to distinguish inSee also: life this species from its commoner congener T. musicus
.
Its See also: nest and eggs a See also: good See also: deal resemble those of the See also: blackbird, and have none of the See also: special characters which distinguish those of the song-thrush
.
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