a small, handsome european singing bird (ruticilla phoenicurus), allied to the nightingale; -- called also redtail, brantail, fireflirt, firetail. the black redstart is p.tithys.  the name is also applied to several other species of ruticilla amnd allied genera, native of india.-an american fly-catching warbler (setophaga ruticilla). the male is black, with large patches of orange-red on the sides, wings, and tail. the female is olive, with yellow patches.