Very unusual record. Whether it is a male (IMO the most likely), or indeed an abberant female, would be most interesting to ascertain. If it is a sterile female having acquired a male-like plumage, what bird then laid the eggs? Did you check if it had a well-developed brood-patch? regards Peter

Hi Peter. Thank you for your comment, and I understand your scepticism, but in my opinion there's no doubt at all, that the bird is a female. We didn't take a blood sample to confirm it, but I find the scenario of a female laying eggs, whereafter a feminin male chooses to incubate the eggs and feed the chicks along with a normal looking male rather unrealistic. It is well known that some females can develop male-like caracters with age, but I've never heard that they should be sterile, and I guess that would be variable. The bird did have brood patch, and a cloacal opening similar to other females caught and smaller than the males. It was also very much different from any other males (I did choose a picture that showed the black throat and white forehead, but the angle might over exaggerate the male likeness a bit). The bird was also seen in a pair with a normal male last year, according to the local ringer. Hope that clarifies things. Mikkel

Hi Mikkel, Thanks for the additional comments. The fact that females with damaged or undeveloped sexual organs can become very male-like in plumage is well documented, but hardly the case here. A true broodpatch, smaller than average male measurements, chape of cloacal opening and the fact that the bird was paired to a male last year as well, all point to the conlusion that Common redstart female can indeed look very much as a normal (late winter/early spring) male - the tips of the feathers on head and throat seem less abraded than on a normal male from June. Certainly a most unusual bird. Lars Svensson writes about females with male-characters that "it is extremely rare that they have all chin- and throat-F based blackish." On this bird, however, the black is NOT restricted to the bases, so you may have found something much more rare than an overshooting Melodious Warbler -to mention but a few:) Best regards Peter