Singing Male Red-winged Blackbird in winter at Pilant Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. I am aware, however, that reports based on anecdotal evidence will likely convince no-one, especially those with a vested interest in denial. Ever since that time, I have kept an eye out for these birds wherever possible. In 2009 APHIS, part of USDA, says it poisoned 489,444 red-winged blackbirds in Texas, and 461,669 in Louisiana.-Martha Rosenberg, įurther reading after these observations substantiated impressions of massive population losses. Rather than large flocks in cattail marshes and around the margins of lakes and rivers, I saw only scattered small groups of fewer than ten birds. One of those changes was an apparent drastic reduction in the number of Red-winged Blackbirds in a variety of habitats relative to what I remembered from childhood. These suspicious birds were likely hungry migrants on their way north, to perhaps the very same Great Lakes region habitats I visited last summer.Īfter that trip, I wrote about ecological changes I observed birding the woods of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. Moore Sanctuary in west Houston on the afternoon of February 27 reminded me of what I saw recently in the north woods of Wisconsin and Minnesota. High-speed synchronized fill-flash.Ī sighting of two female Red-winged Blackbirds eating cautiously from the seed feeders at the Edith L. But is this still really true? Canon EOS 7D/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Many references state that Red-winged Blackbirds are one of the most abundant birds in North America. Red-winged blackbirds usually lives for about two years in the wild.Female Red-winged Blackbird in winter at Myakka River State Park, Florida. Young are dependent on females for five weeks after they leave the nest. They can spend more than one-quarter of daylight hours defending their territory. Males guard the nest with loud calls and displays, or by chasing other male birds away. The red-winged blackbird nests in cattail reeds or bushes near water, where the female weaves a deep, basket-like nest from plant material.įemales have one to three broods per year and will lay three to five eggs with each brood, which they incubate for up to 11 days.
Pairs are not monogamous males may have up to 15 mates at one time.
RED WINGED BLACKBIRD DOWNLOAD
Download the audio file to listen.īreeding occurs from early spring through mid-summer. Your browser does not support the audio element. Males make a cheery, loud konk-la-ree or oak-la-ree during breeding season to draw attention to themselves and warn potential intruders. Males are easily identified in flight by their bright red and yellow shoulder patches.
Owls, raptors and raccoons are a few of the red-winged blackbird’s predators. In winter, its diet switches to plants and seeds such as corn and wheat. This bird generally eats whatever it can find, including snails, frogs, worms, spiders and eggs, although it prefers insects such as flies, moths, dragonflies and butterflies in summer. Females are dull brown with dark streaks, and they often have a pale breast and pale eyebrow streaks. Immature males have feathers edged in orange, and may have some yellow on their shoulders. Adult males are glossy black with red shoulder patches bordered in yellow. Their tails are medium-length, and they have black, sharply pointed bills. Red-winged blackbirds grow to about nine inches in length with a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches.
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