Description
 One of the most colorful birds, the Red-wing Blackbird is very easy to identify. The male is deep black with red and yellow stripes on its shoulder. Females are more subdued, dark streaky brown in color with white eyebrows. The showy males sing constantly (conk-la-ree!) during breeding season from a perch around water, typically a pond or marsh.
Range
The Red-winged Blackbird can be found throughout the continental United States, from coast to coast. In the summer, it migrates north to Canada and can be found in small sections of Alaska.
Habitat
 The male Red-winged Blackbird spends breeding season on a high perch near water. These areas include fresh and saltwater marshes, waterways, wet roadsides, drier meadows and old fields. The female is nearby, but stays lower in the grass, weaving through the vegetation looking for food and constructing their impressive nests. In the winter, the Red-winged Blackbird gathers in large flocks looking for food in fields, feedlots and pastures. |
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Diet
 The Red-winged Blackbird is an omnivore and eats different things depending on the season. In the winter, it eats mostly insects. In the winter, it eats seeds from ragweed, cocklebur, sunflowers, corn and wheat. Sometimes, it will poke at aquatic weeds to get at the insects living inside the plants.
Life Cycle
 The female Red-winged Blackbird is a master nest-builder. In a wet area like a marsh, she weaves reeds around the base of tall marsh plants, such as cattails. Throughout her nest, she adds wet leaves and decaying wood to add strength. She then plasters the inside with mud and lines the nest with fine grasses.
In her nest, she lays 2-4 pale blue eggs, which she incubates for about two weeks. When they hatch, the chicks are blind and have no feathers. The chicks remain in the nest for about 14 days.
Behavior
 The male Red-winged Blackbird is a fierce defender of his territory. He is constantly chasing other males out of his territory and will attack predators. Sometimes he will attack larger animals like horses and humans! |
Least Concern
