Superstar Red-Flanked Bluetail

“Go now!” is often the first command birders hear when an exceptionally rare bird appears far from its normal range. With a bird that may disappear at any moment, even a short delay can mean missing the entire opportunity.

But one American Birding Association Code-4 rarity has been taking its time. After being recorded only once before anywhere along the East Coast, a female red-flanked bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) settled into Virginia's Great Falls Park and remained there through the winter. Since New Year's Day, she has been enjoying wintercreeper and other food while living beside the spectacular Potomac River.

A Bird From the Other Side of the World

The unusual visitor was first spotted by Fairfax County birder Phil Kenny. Since that discovery, hundreds of birders from Florida, New York, and other areas have traveled to the national park, located about nine miles upriver from Washington, D.C., hoping to see the tiny bird. Many visitors who would normally be admiring the park's photogenic waterfalls instead focused their attention on finding this exceptionally rare songbird.

I was among them and made the trip seven times.

Why Did the Bluetail Come to Virginia?

Even ornithologists are unsure why this particular red-flanked bluetail ended up in Virginia, marking the species' first documented appearance in the state.

Red-flanked bluetails normally spend the winter in places such as Japan, Korea, southern China, Thailand, and Myanmar. Their breeding range extends from Japan and Siberia all the way to Finland.

Although individual birds have occasionally been recorded in Alaska and parts of the western United States, the species had only been documented once previously in the eastern United States. That earlier sighting occurred along the New Jersey coast in December 2023.

Scientists have suggested several possible explanations for these unusual appearances. Strong air currents may have carried the birds toward the East Coast, or an unusual genetic variation affecting migration could have played a role.

Finding Plenty to Eat in Northern Virginia

Whatever brought this bluetail to Virginia, she apparently found enough food to survive the region's unusually cold and snowy winter.

The bird has been feeding on red wintercreeper euonymus seeds, oriental bittersweet berries, and other foods. Interestingly, several of these plants are native to China, one of the species' normal wintering areas.

Although these plants are considered invasive nonnative species in the United States, the bluetail has had no problem taking advantage of them. Her willingness to eat them is rather like an American traveler in Paris stopping for a meal at McDonald's because it offers something familiar from home.

Searching for a Tiny Celebrity

As a former reporter and a current Virginia Master Naturalist, I enjoy sharing information about wildlife and encouraging people to appreciate the natural world around them.

Although I tend to be more comfortable staying up late than getting up early, I agreed to meet Washington Post reporter Dana Hedgpeth and photographer John McDonnell at Great Falls Park shortly after dawn to search for the elusive visitor.

By that point, I had already seen the bird four times, although fellow birders had usually helped locate her by contributing their extra eyes and experience.

This morning was different. I was searching alone on a day when the fog was so dense that the Potomac River itself was invisible.

A Difficult Bird to Spot

Finding a tiny, light-brown bird with two bright orange patches along its sides would have been difficult under any circumstances. The heavy fog made the challenge even greater.

Fortunately, a determined birder joined the search. Together, we trudged through the muddy trail toward a location where the bluetail had been seen repeatedly.

Then, almost immediately, we found her.

The other birder's remarkably sharp eyesight picked out the bird perched on top of a large fallen log, almost like a small hood ornament. The bluetail appeared to have established a surprisingly compact winter territory.

She generally remains within a narrow stretch of land measuring roughly two-tenths of a mile between the river and a granite cliff.

Cornell University ornithologist and migration specialist Andrew Farnsworth explained that it is not unusual for some birds to concentrate their activities within relatively small areas.

Even so, the bluetail can disappear remarkably easily. Dense vines and moss-covered rocks provide plenty of places for a tiny bird to vanish.

The Bluetail's Elusive Behavior

Unless the bird is actively moving her distinctive blue tail, locating her can be surprisingly difficult, even for experienced birders who have made her a life-list target.

She frequently darts back and forth between the river and the ridge, behaving much like the flycatchers she resembles in her feeding style. She also visits the forest floor, where she searches beneath damp leaves for insects.

On this particularly foggy morning, however, the bird behaved differently. Instead of constantly moving, she remained unusually motionless for an extended period, almost as though she knew that a Washington Post photographer was waiting to capture her portrait.

A Growing Crowd of Birders

Once the newspaper feature was published, even more people began visiting Great Falls Park in hopes of seeing the unusual visitor.

Some ordinary birders and experienced experts managed to locate her almost immediately. Others spent hours walking the trail without catching even a glimpse.

As the weather began warming, people naturally started wondering how much longer the bluetail would remain. March 1 marked the beginning of meteorological spring, and two unusually warm days had already arrived.

The previous red-flanked bluetail in New Jersey reportedly departed around the end of March. Perhaps the Virginia bird would eventually leave when other winter visitors, including kinglets, hermit thrushes, and white-throated sparrows, began their own northward journeys toward their breeding grounds.

A Superstar in Virginia

I am going to miss this remarkable celebrity bird.

In her normal range, the red-flanked bluetail is simply another bird living its ordinary life. But in Virginia, where her arrival was extraordinarily unexpected, she became the focus of hundreds of birders and a genuine local superstar.

If I could have told her one thing, it would have been simple: there is no need to rush home. Back where you normally live, you may be just an ordinary bird, but here in Virginia, you are famous.