Blackbird, Red-winged

Physical Features

The Red-winged Blackbird is best known for the males' distinguishing red shoulder patch epaulettes. It is one of the most abundant land birds. Red-winged Blackbirds are medium sized songbirds. They average 17 to 23 centimeters in length and weight 32 to 77 grams with females being slightly smaller than males. Red-winged Blackbirds exhibit distinct sexual dimorphism. Many people are familiar with the breeding black males with their red wing patches. They also show off their yellow streak below each patch. The female Red-winged Blackbirds are small, brownish, and dark and have striped breasts. They are often erroneously assumed to be large sparrows or other blackbirds. Their eyes have a white line over it and they are uniformly striped down their backs. Yearling males resemble the mature males except for the tarnished edges of their black feathers. Their red wing patches are however not as intensely colored as those of the mature males and some may appear spotted.

Habitat

The Red-winged Blackbird typically makes its nest and breeds in cattail marsh, and is also found in wetlands across North America. These birds prefer swamplands with growing vegetation such as wooded or brushy areas, wet meadows, irrigation canals, hay fields, roadside ditches and salt marshes. During the winter Red-winged Blackbirds commonly congregate on farming areas. They are found in a wide range including northwestern British Columbia, Alaska, southwestern Newfoundland, Costa Rica and in the northern Bahamas and Cuba. Red-winged Blackbirds tend to live in one place throughout the year, although the northern breeders travel to the south of the United States where they arrive very early on their breeding grounds.

Diet

Seeds make up 75% of the diet of the Red-winged Blackbird. When mayflies, dragonflies and caddis flies emerge from their aquatic larval stage, they are favorite foods sought out by the Red-winged Blackbird. During the winter, the Red-winged Bird's main source of foods is grains and corn stubble found at feedlots. They scavenge for food on both the ground and on vegetation such as shrubs and trees.

Meat

The meat of the Red-winged Blackbird is tasty and has a gamey flavor.

Behavior

Red-winged Blackbirds are among the most actively studied birds, especially in terms of their behavior. The polygamous males usually mate with between 2 to 4 females, but they can have as many as 15 mates. The grass-made nests are usually woven with cattails, bulrushes and other vegetation close to the water. The female lays 3 to 4 eggs that she incubates for 11 to 13 days. The female takes care of the young ones and feeds them for the first 11 to 14 days before they leave their nest. The female and sometimes the male will continue to feed their young for about 3 more weeks after which they leave the nesting region. Single broods are very common, although a female is able to raise a second brood. The males watch over their territories from their high-wall vantage points, and fiercely fly after intruders boldly showing off their red-wing patches. They are known to attach much larger animals in a bid to protect their nests. The alarm calls made by the Red-winged blackbird sound like loud “check” and a high slurred “tee-er”r. Their song is a liquid gurgling 'konk-ke-ree...!”

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