# Collared whitestart
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{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Collared whitestart
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = [{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Myioborus torquatus'' |volume=2020 |article-number=e.T22721934A137114670 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22721934A137114670.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}]
| image = Myioborus torquatus Santa Elena.JPG
| image_caption = In Costa Rica
| genus = Myioborus
| species = torquatus
| authority = ([Baird](/source/Spencer_Fullerton_Baird), 1865)
| range_map = Myioborus torquatus map.svg}}
The '''collared whitestart''' ('''''Myioborus torquatus'''''), also known as the '''collared redstart''', is a tropical [New World warbler](/source/New_World_warbler) endemic to the mountains of [Costa Rica](/source/Costa_Rica) and western-central [Panama](/source/Panama).[{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mPPUBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA200 |pages=200–201 |title=New World Warblers |author=Jon Curson |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2010|isbn=978-1-4081-3516-7 }}]
== Description ==
The collared whitestart is around {{convert|13|cm|in|sigfig=1}} in length with a weight of {{convert|10.5|g|oz|sigfig=1}}. 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.[{{Cite web |title=Collared Redstart - eBird |url=https://ebird.org/species/colred1 |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=ebird.org |language=en}}] 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.{{cn|date=May 2024}}
== Behaviour ==
The call is a sharp ''pit'',[{{Citation |title=XC31706 Collared Whitestart (Myioborus torquatus) |url=https://xeno-canto.org/31706 |access-date=2024-04-22}}] and the song is a mixture of slurred whistles, warbles and trills.[{{Citation |title=XC31709 Collared Whitestart (Myioborus torquatus) |url=https://xeno-canto.org/31709 |access-date=2024-04-22}}]
The collared whitestart feeds on [insect](/source/insect)s,{{cn|date=May 2024}} frequently fanning its striking tail as it pursues its prey.[{{Cite journal |last1=Hilbie |first1=Connor |last2=Block |first2=Nicholas L. |date=2020 |title=Collared Redstart (Myioborus torquatus), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/colred1/cur/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.colred1.01 |issn=2771-3105|url-access=subscription }}] It will join mixed feeding flocks, and will follow cattle and occasionally humans for the insects they flush.[{{Cite web |last=Ramel |first=Gordon |date=2023-07-12 |title=Collared Redstarts (Myioborus torquatus) Information |url=https://earthlife.net/collared-redstarts/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=Earth Life |language=en-US}}]
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.