The Red-winged Blackbird is
a member of the Icteridae family which
consists of blackbirds. The male Red-winged
Blackbird is all black and has red epaulets or shoulder
patches, which may be concealed where only the small yellow stripe shows.
When defending their territory or to attract a female,
the male fluffs the red epaulets and half-spreads his
wings to show off the red to the full extent. The female
is often mistaken for a large sparrow; they are streaked
brown, but have a sharp pointed bill. Red-winged
Blackbirds are 17-23 cm
(7-9 in) in size with a wingspan of 31-40 cm
(12-16 in). They weigh about 32-77 g
(1.13-2.72 ounces).
P
hotos:
M. Noonan
The Red-winged
Blackbird is one of the most abundant birds in North America, with an
estimated population of 200 million. They are found all over the United
States and into Mexico year round, and in the summer will migrate into
Canada. This bird is often found in reeds, marshes, and other wetlands. The
Red-winged Blackbird feeds on a varied diet of insects, seed and grain.
Photo: M. Noonan
Red-winged Blackbirds do not
mate for life. They don't even form genuine pair bonds,
since males who control a territory may have several
mates. Males usually return to the same territory for
several years, but females often go to entirely
different places from one spring to the next. A
Red-Winged Blackbird nest an open cup woven of grass or
marsh vegetation and wet leaves, filled with mud and
lined with fine grass. Nests are almost always located
near water. Eggs are a pale blue-green with dark streaks
and splotches. A Red-Winged Blackbird's clutch size is
about 3 to 5 eggs, and two or three clutches can be laid
per season. The eggs are incubated by the female and
hatch in 11-12 days. After 10 days, the babies are
strong enough to leave the nest, and several days later
they become strong fliers.
P
hotos:
M. Noonan
The Red-Wing Blackbird can
be found practically anywhere in Western New York, as
long as you are near a wetland of some sort during the
breeding season. They may also be seen in large flocks
when migratory season is near and then they are usually
found near areas with large supplies of insects or
seeds, such as agricultural fields or meadows.
