Red-winged Blackbirds
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The Red-winged Blackbird
The Red-winged Blackbird is a beautiful songbird and easy to identify. Its red epaulets are easy to spot even when in flight. They are a fairly common bird and can be seen perched on telephone wires and sign posts throughout the United States and Canada.
Description
The Red-winged Blackbird is a medium sized bird measuring 9 to 10 inches in length. The male has distinctive red shoulder patches or "epaulets" which are visible when flying. At rest, a pale yellow wing bar can also be seen. They have long pointed wings and legs that are made for walking rather than hopping. Its beak is cone-shaped and sharp.
The female Red-winged Blackbird is considerably smaller than her mate measuring just 7 inches in length. Her plumage is blackish-brown rather than the deep black worn by the male of the species. The epaulets are absent as well. The juveniles resemble the female but have buff colored feather fringes.
Habitat
The Red-winged Blackbird can be found across the entire continental United States, most of Canada,
and as far south as El Salvador during the breeding season. They will spend the winters wherever they can find food and open water. They inhabit freshwater wetlands, saltwater marshes, meadows and prairies.
When feeling threatened, the Red-wing Blackbird will respond aggressively. Size doesn't matter. They have been known to attack hawks and Ospreys, even humans.
Breeding and Nesting Habits
The Red-winged Blackbird are polygynous. A male will defend his territory and up to 10 females at any given time. However, females will copulate with other males and often lay clutches of mixed paternity.
The nest is cup shaped and can be hidden in shrubs or attached to tall marsh grasses. A clutch of 3 to 5 eggs are laid and then incubated by the female for 11 to 12 days. The hatchlings are blind and naked but are ready to leave the nest within 10 days. Pairs of Red-winged Blackbirds raise 2 to 3 clutches per season with a new nest for each clutch.
The Red-winged Blackbird is fond of sunflower seeds and will stake a claim on a birdfeeder and aggressively defend it.
Awesome Birdfeeders from Amazon
Voice
The Red-winged Blackbird can be very vocal when it feels threatened. It's warning call is a scratchy oak-a-lee or a check-check-check.
Listen to the sound of the Red-winged Blackbird: Sound Byte: Red-winged Blackbird, National Park Service
Common Birds and Their Songs
by Lang Elliott

Common Birds and Their Songs (Book and Audio CD)
This book-audio package provides a unique introduction to fifty of the most familiar birds of North America and the songs they sing. Common Birds and Their Songs will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert. It's the perfect gift for any birder - or anyone with a bird feeder.
When the breeding season is over, the Red-winged Blackbirds will gather in huge flocks, sometimes number in the millions.
Red-winged Blackbirds
Canon Digital Rebel
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens - Black
Amazon Price: $600.00 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
I have used a simple point and shoot camera for years. They're great for taking pictures at family gatherings and picnics, but when it came to photographing wildlife, I was always disappointed with the results. I couldn't get a close-up without compromising the quality of the picture. I started researching cameras and came up with the Canon Rebel. It's a step above the POINT and SHOOT but not so complicated that it ends up setting on the shelf.
Attracting Birds to Your Backyard
America's 100 Most Wanted Birds
America's 100 Most Wanted Birds
Amazon Price: $49.83 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
If you want to see a gyrfalcon or a fork-tailed flycatcher, this resource might be your best help in spotting them. Mostly for serious birders intent on adding species to their life lists, America's 100 Most Wanted Birds provides detailed strategies for locating 100 of the most uncommon-to-rare bird species in the United States.
Some of My Favorite Backyard Birds

The Bold and BeautifulThe American Goldfinch
The Blue Jay
The Northern Cardinal
Cheerful Singers
The European Starling
The Northern Mockingbird

The American Robin
The Shy Ones The Eastern Bluebird
The Carolina Wren
Peterson's Field Guide to Birds
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America (Peterson Field Guides)
Amazon Price: $10.55 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
An absolute must have for anyone with an interest in watching the birds.
Do Red-winged Blackbirds visit your birdfeeder?
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JeanJohnson
Jul 23, 2011 @ 9:22 pm | delete
- I love all birds and I often find these red-winged blackbirds in local parks. Nice lens!
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Lori
Apr 16, 2011 @ 9:26 pm | delete
- I think these birds are ok but they are taking over my feeders and the other birds don't seem to have a chance to get anything. Is this going to last all spring and summer or do they eventually go away? They will eat me out of house and home....I feel bad for my other birds who try to get something to eat. Any suggestions or do I just wait it out? They just came about 2 weeks ago - I live in Oregon.
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poddys Mar 3, 2011 @ 12:53 am | delete
- We just have the plain old "Black" Blackbird in the UK, but they sing in our garden and also feed from our feeders. The Red-Winged ones used to come into my garden in Indiana and you could see them very often, I love them. Lovely lens, I love your bird series.
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seedplanter
May 13, 2009 @ 5:40 pm | delete
- Lizzy, the photo "As Far as the Eye Can See" is amazing! I would love to see a sight like that. The red-winged blackbird is stunning, and I remember the first time I saw one. That patch of red was such a surprise.
Beautiful lens. I'm going to RT it @Twitter.
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lakeerieartists Apr 26, 2009 @ 10:18 am | delete
- Love this series of lenses. Great job.
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About the Author
Bird Watcher's Digest
Bird Watchers Digest
Amazon Price: $16.99 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
Keep current with what's happening in the birding world. Bird Watcher's Digest offers great articles and pictures, as well as information on conservation efforts and research. I receive several birding magazines each month but its Bird Watcher's that has me dropping everything to sit down and read.
6 issues/12 months
Resources used to construct this page
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Seattle Audubon Society
Red-winged Blackbird, BC Adventure Network
by ElizabethJeanAllen
I tell my students to Learn from the Past, Live in the Present, and Plan for the Future. With Squidoo I can do all three. more »
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