Collared whitestart

The collared whitestart (Myioborus torquatus), also known as the collared redstart, is a tropical New World warbler endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and western-central Panama.^[2]

Collared whitestart
In Costa Rica
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Parulidae
Genus:	Myioborus
Species:	M. torquatus
Binomial name
Myioborus torquatus (Baird, 1865)

Description

The collared whitestart is around 13 centimetres (5 in) in length with a weight of 10.5 grams (0.4 oz). It has a chestnut crown bordered with black, and a black forehead. The rest of the upper parts are slaty black, and the tail is black with white edges, hence the bird's name: "start" is an old English word for "tail". The face and underparts are bright yellow, with a black band across the breast.^[2]

The sexes are similar,^[3] but young birds are duller, with a browner back, weakly yellow underparts, and the head entirely slate-coloured, with no yellow on the face or red on the crown.^{[citation needed]}

Behaviour

The call is a sharp pit,^[4] and the song is a mixture of slurred whistles, warbles and trills.^[5]

The collared whitestart feeds on insects,^{[citation needed]} frequently fanning its striking tail as it pursues its prey.^[6] It will join mixed feeding flocks, and will follow cattle and occasionally humans for the insects they flush.^[7]

The roofed nest has a round side entrance and is built on the ground or a steep bank, hidden amongst rocks, tufts of grass or under a fallen log. It is constructed from strips of bark, plant fibres, leaves, and grass. From March to May, the female will lay 2 or 3 white or cream eggs that are speckled with fine brown spots. Incubation lasts about two weeks, but other nesting details are largely unknown.^[7]

Habitat

The collared whitestart is common at heights between 1500 m and the timberline in mossy mountain forests, ravines, second growth, and adjacent pastures.^[2]