any European songbird of the genus Phoenicurus, esp P. phoenicurus, in which the male has a black throat, orange-brown tail and breast, and grey back: family Muscicapidae (thrushes, etc)
2.
any North American warbler of the genus Setophaga, esp S. ruticilla
Word origin
Old English rēad red + steort tail; compare German Rotsterz
redstart in American English
(ˈrɛdˌstɑrt)
noun
1. US
any of various wood warblers; esp. the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla), the male of which is black and orange above and white below
2.
any of a genus (Phoenicurus) of small European thrushes with a reddish tail, esp. a common species (P. phoenicurus)
Word origin
red + obs. start < ME stert, tail < OE steort: see stark-naked