Emberwing redstart

The emberwing redstart is a small songbird of north Idiri, native to the mountain ranges that lie within the Great Hazari Desert. Adult males of the species are most spectacular, boasting overall warm reddish-brown plumage, a white breast with a red spot in the center, and deeply red-streaked wings. Females and juveniles are less spectacular, with overall brown plumage, but their breasts still feature a smaller version of the central red spot. Additionally, the undersides of the females' wings are also a bright peachy-red. When both males and females take flight, with their vibrant wings flashing, they are said to resemble embers bursting into colorful streaks of flame.

The emberwing redstart is found among the open rocky woodlands that characterize the higher mountains of the desert. They prefer a mix of oaks and evergreens, with a relatively clear understory made up more of rocks than shrubs. They do not migrate widely, instead displaying altitudinal migration where they move from lower altitudes in the winter to higher altitudes in the summer. Their song is a mix of rapid twittering noises with whistling trills, remarkably varied.

The Tessoure are fond of the cheerful little bird, particularly those tribes who reside year-round among the mountains, and see it as a symbol of hope.